This book covers the use and history of some famous medical plants and fungi. Each organism discussed includes information about the plant/fungus, history, an explanation of the conditions it is used for, proposed mechanism covering how it works on the condition and a pharmacological statement by a Doctor of Pharmacy. The contents follow- Contents So the story begins- Introduction What is a plant? Definition Design Life cycles Classification Zoopharmacognosy Medicine and herbal use in prehistory through the start of western science- Prehistory Mesopotamia (Sumerians/Assyrians/Babylonians) Egypt Greece Rome and the Dark Ages- The transition to Rome The Dark (Middle) Ages in Europe The Middle East The Renaissance and modern times in the west- - Two other well-known important medicinal cultures- India China Herbalism today- - A little chemistry (very little)- Types of chemicals Nitrogen containing Alkaloids Cyanogenic glycosides Glucosinolates Non-protein amino acids Alkamines Lectins Non-nitrogen containing Terpens Cardiac glucosides Phenols Extraction of chemicals Herbal application techniques Vignettes of some important plant and fungally derived medicines- * The Nightshades (The Solanaceae)- Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade) – Atropa belladonna Jimson Weed (Thornapple) – Datura stramonium Mandrake – Mandragora officinarum Henbane (Stinking nightshade) – Hyoscyamus niger Corkwood Tree (Pituri bush) – Duboisia sp . *Plants Used For Pain And Surgery- Chili/Cayenne Peppers- Capsicum annuum Willow- Salix alba Opium Poppy- Papaver somniferum Coca Bush- Erythoxylum coca Pareira (The Curare plants) - Chondrodendron tomentosum *Plants Used in Treating Cancer- Bloodroot Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center ? Autumn Crocus (Meadow Saffron) - Colchicum autumnale Madagascar Periwinkle (Rosy Periwinkle) – Catharanthus roseus Pacific Yew -Taxus brevifolia Mayapple (American Mandrake) - Podophyllum peltatum *Plants Used To Treat Diseases- Quina or Feverbark Tree- Cinchona sp. The Kalaw Tree- Hydnocarpus sp. *Plants Used for other Health Concerns- Purple Foxglove- Digitalis purpurea Indian Snakeroot (Sarpagandha) – Rauwolfia serpentine Wild Yams (Mexican) – Dioscorea villosa Ephedra (Ma Huang) – Ephedra sinica Jaborandi Tree (Indian Hemp) - Pilocarpus microphyllus Common Snow Drop- Galanthus nivalis Calabar Bean (Ordeal bean) - Physostigma venenosum *Fungal Derived Medicines- Hemorrhagic Sweet Clover Disease and Warfarin Claviceps purpurea and Ergotamine Tolypocladium inflatum and Cyclosporine Aspergillus terreus and Lovastatin Acremonium and Cephalosporins Penicillium chrysogenum (notatum) and Penicillin