British Herbal Compendium

Bradley P, ed. British Herbal Compendium. London British Herbal Medical Association, 1992. 

Although there is limited information regarding the therapeutic efficacy and standards for herbals some resources do exist. The most widely recognized source is the German E Commission E monographs, which contain information on more than 300 herbal products. Other well referenced resources include the American Herbal Pharmacopeia, the British Herbal Pharmacopeia (BHP), the British Herbal Compendium, the European Scientific Cooperative for Phytomedicines (ESCOP), the U.S. Pharmacopeia, and the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Official standards are absolutely necessary to ensure the quality, reliability, and homogeneity of herbal products for consumers. Standardized products are paramount to those in healthcare planning to conduct clinical research with these products. Independent laboratories and university-affiliated research reports have documented the considerable variation that exists in terms of quality and reliability in these products. Abroad, the ESCOP, composed of manufacturers of herbal medicines and herbal associations, is working with European research groups to develop quality-control standards for the production of natural products. This committee is developing monographs for incorporation into such references as the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia and the British Herbal Compendium. 

British Herbal Compendium Vol. 1 Edited by P.R. Bradley BHMA Dorset (UK) 1992. 

Bradley, P. (1992). British herbal compendium. Vol. 1. British Herbal Medicine Association. 

Bradley, P.R. 1992. British herbal compendium A handbook cf scientific information on widely used plant drugs. Bournemouth, Dorset British Herbal Medicine Association. 

Betz, J.M., R.M. Eppley, W.C. Taylor, and D. Andrzejewski. 1994. Determination of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in commercial comfrey products (Symphytum sp.). J. Phann. Sci. 83(5) 649-653. Bradley, P.R. 1992. British herbal compendium A handbook of scientific information on widely used plant drugs. Bournemouth, UK British Herbal Medicine Association. 

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