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Medicinal Herb Research
on the Internet

NOTE: The inclusion of a site in this list is not intended as an endorsement of a company or a product. The purpose of this list is to provide a representative selection of the various types of sites with herbal information which are available on the internet.

Scientific/Technical Herbal Information

These sites provide substantive information on medicinal herbs and include links to other sites.
  • Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases (USDA Agricultural Research Service) An important source for scientific information on specific herbs including the chemicals present in a particular herb.
  • Ethnomedicinals  The author of this website, Anthony Torkelson, is also the author of the multi-volume work, The Cross Name Index to Medicinal Plants, published by CRC Press. This is a wonderful site-obviously a labor of love.
  • Henriette's Herbal Homepage A nice site, another labor of love. Provides useful information on medicinal and culinary herbs as well as links to other sites, plant pictures, and a plant name database.
  • Herbal Hall Bills itself as "Possibly the Internet's most complete library for Herbs". Has a search feature powered by HotBot.
  • Herbal Materia Medica Offers succinct information on specific herbs.
  • HerbNet Sponsored by The Herb Growing and Marketing Network, this claims to be "the most comprehensive site on the Web for those seeking information on herbs, herb products and remedies, herb publications . . . in fact everything herbal."
  • Medicinal Herb Garden at University of Washington Search for herbs by botanical or common names, and then click on one of three links (AGIS Ethnobot, AGIS Medicinal Plants of North America, or Medlline Citations via PubMed) for more in-depth information. The link to Medline citations is particularly useful.
  • Modern Herbal hypertext version of the 1931, 860 page work by Mrs. M. Grieve. Includes a plant and herb index, word search of the text, index of recipes and index of poisons.
  • Planetary Herbology Site of Dr. Michael Tierra, founding member of the American Herbalists Guild. Includes access to "Planet Herbs Online", a chat room. Also check out the online articles.
  • Southwest School of Botanical Medicine  This incredible site is the brainchild of Michael Moore, Director of the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine in Brisbee, Arizona. This site is another which seems to end up on everyone's list of the best herbal sites.

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Herbal Links

Use one of these sites to gain access to many other herbal links.

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Sites with Limitations

These are interesting sites but are limited in their usefulness due to membership requirements, fees for information, etc.:
  • American Botanical Council "Educating the public on the use of herbs and phytomedicinals". While this is an attractive site, there is little that is free here. HerbalGram, a journal of the ABC, is available only by subscription. However, one interesting feature allows one to preview one of the German Commission E monographs.
  • American Herbal Pharmacopoeia The purpose of AHP is to produce authoritative herbal monographs which are available for purchase.
  • The Herb Research Foundation Based in Boulder, Colorado, a membership ($35/year) nonprofit research and education organization which focuses on herbs and medicinal plants. Also, little free information here. Nonmembers can purchase information packets (for example an Echinacea packet is available for $7) or pay for a custom research service. It does provide 14 recommended links.
  • The Herb Society (UK)  Another membership organization. Useful for the featured Endangered Herb of the Month and nice links to other sites.
  • PhytoNet  A significant site, but requires registration. Covers information resources for phytomedicines and herbal drugs; maintained by the Centre for Complementary Health Studies, University of Exeter. Also tracks herbal adverse drug reactions.

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Private Organizations & Governmental Agencies

  • American Dietetic Association  National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics (NCND) of the ADA was established to provide an "easily accessible, objective source of scientifically-based food and nutrition information. To find information on herbs or herbal medicines use the site search function.
  • Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (USDA) the purpose of this site is to provide to the public, nutrition information that is based on sound research and analysis. Click on "Library of Files" and then search by topic.
  • Center for Science in the Public Interest  "A nonprofit education and advocacy organization that focuses on improving the safety and nutritional quality of our food supply..." Includes access to the online publication, Nutrition Action Healthletter.
  • Food and Drug Administration (US) Information on dietary supplements is included at this site.
  • Food and Nutrition Information Center  (USDA National Agriculture Library) From this site one can "access all of FNIC's resource lists and databases, as well as many other food and nutrition related links." Use the site search feature to search for herbs and herbal medicine information. (Links to Food Composition databases are useful for research on other topics.
  • Food and Nutrition Service - (USDA) The purpose of the FNS is to provide to the public "information about food, a healthful diet and nutrition education in a manner that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence." Use the site search feature to search for herbs or herbal medicine.
  • Mayo Clinic Health Oasis A comprehensive medical information site which includes the full-text of articles on herbal medicine. Use the site search feature to locate articles.
  • National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine - The NCCAM was established in 1998 to conduct and support basic and applied research and training and disseminates information on complementary and alternative medicine to practitioners and the public. Use the site search feature to find information on herbs or herbal medicine.
  • National Council Against Health Fraud (National Council for Reliable Health Information) Search for the term "herbal" to get a long list of publications dealing with herbal medicine.
  • National Institutes of Health (US) A site search on the word "herbal" yields well over 300 citations.
  • National Library of Medicine (US) A wonderful source of all kinds of medical information. For information on herbal medicine use the "MedlinePlus" option.
  • Office of Dietary Supplements  (National Institute of Health) this web site provides information about the Office, its origins, programs and activities and scientific resources." A new service provides access to the database IBIDS (International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements) which contains citations for scientific articles on dietary supplements.
  • Quackwatch This site serves as a watchdog for all kinds of medical fraud or misrepresentation. Search for "herb" or "herbal" for a long list of articles.

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Online Magazines & Newsletters

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Databases Available Free on the Web

  • AGRICOLA  - Major agricultural database of the National Agriculture Library.  Covers literature on herbs, particularly growing them.

  • IBIDS -  (International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements). A database, maintained by the NIH and USDA , which indexes published scientific literature on dietary supplements from 1986 to present. 
  • Native American Ethnobotany Database  - Foods, drugs, dyes, and fibers of Native Americans.  A project of Dan Moerman, Professor of Anthropology, University of Michigan-Dearborn.
  • PubMed (public version of Medline, medical database of the US National Library of Medicine).

          NOTE:  In addition to the free databases listed above, Colorado State University faculty staff and students may access  subscription databases via the Libraries' databases page at  http://lib.colostate.edu/databases/

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Alternative Medicine

These sites cover several areas of alternative medicine including herbal medicine. If herbal medicine is not listed as a topic on the homepage, then generally perform a site search.

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Other Herbal, Medical & Nutrition Sites

This is a miscellaneous group of sites that provides information on herbs and health and medical information in general.

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