Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs Medicinal Herbs for Treating Psychological and Neurological Problems

Find out how plant-derived drugs react with your brain to produce either healing or harmful results!The Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs will give you a better understanding of herbal products that have psychological effects. The book explores how they work, how effective they are, and what is known about their safety. Geared towards non-specialist professionals and curious individuals, this guide shows how herbal preparations can affect the brain, mental state, and behavior of a user and includes treatment methods, tables, illustrations, a glossary, and a bibliography.The Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs contains chapters on several types of psychoactive herbs, including: stimulants cognition-enhancers sedatives painkillers hallucinogensWith the Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs, youll examine the effects of psychoactive drugs on the nervous system—both positive and negative. Each chapter discusses a type of herbal medicine, its action on the brain and other systems of the body, side effects, and the potential for addiction. The book closely examines possible drug interactions with prescription medications and emphasizes the caution you need to take when using herbal health products.In the Concise Handbook of Psychoactive Herbs you will learn about the psychoactive actions of such medicinal plants as: coffee tobacco cannabis ginseng chamomile cocoa opium poppy peyote gingko biloba

Chapter 1. Introduction Plants As Medicines The Use of Herbal Medicines Why Do Plants Make Drugs? How Humans Came to Use Herbal Medicines The Science of Herbal Medicines Summary Chapter 2. How the Brain Works Mind, Brain, and Behavior Communication in and Between Neurons Structure of the Nervous System Chapter 3. How Drugs Work How the Body Affects Drugs How Drugs Affect the Body Relationships Between Drug Doses and Effects Chapter 4. Stimulant Herbs Pharmaceutical Stimulants Caffeine Stimulants Tobacco and Tobacco-Like Stimulants Amphetamine-Like Stimulants Summary Chapter 5. Cognition-Enhancing Herbs Discussion and Treatment of Dementia Ginkgo Ginseng Tobacco Solanaceous Vegetables: Tomato, Potato, and Eggplant Discussion and Treatment of Parkinsons Disease Fava Beans Summary Chapter 6. Sedative and Anti-Anxiety Herbs The Problem of Anxiety Insomnia The Structure of Sleep Central Nervous System Depressants Valerian Kava Passionflower Chamomile Other Reputed Sedative Herbs Summary Chapter 7. Herbs for Mental Illnesses The Era of Psychotherapeutic Drugs Depression and Anxiety St. Johns Wort Ginger Ginkgo Schizophrenia and Psychosis Chapter 8. Herbal Painkillers What Is Pain? The Pain Systems The Analgesia System Herbal Analgesics Opium Poppy Myrrh Willow Meadowsweet Feverfew Ginger Chili Peppers Stimulant Analgesics Local Anesthetic Herbs Chapter 9. Herbal Hallucinogens What to Call Them? The Historical Uses of Hallucinogenic Plants LSD-Like Hallucinogens Collective Issues with LSD-Like Hallucinogens The Nightshade Hallucinogens Fly Agaric Chapter 10. Cannabis History Cannabis and the Human Body Cannabis Addiction Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis Summary Chapter 11. Use, Abuse, and Addiction Definitions Evolutionary Basis for Drug Abuse Psychological Perspective Addiction in the Brain Are Addictions Limited to Drugs? Treatment Treatment Methods Prevention Conclusions Glossary Bibliography Index Reference Notes Included