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What Is a Green Pharmacy?

A green pharmacy isn't a brick and mortar drugstore where you pick up ointments and pills. Rather, "green pharmacy" is a term for the bounty of herbal medicines, remedies and supplements found in the natural world. Green pharmacy enthusiasts advocate use of natural remedies instead of pharmaceuticals.

  1. The Green Pharmacy

    • Author James Duke, Ph.D., a long-time botanist, popularized the phrase in a series of Green Pharmacy books about natural remedies and medicinal plants, starting with his 1997 book that spans nearly 600 pages, "The Green Pharmacy: The Ultimate Compendium of Natural Remedies from the World's Foremost Authority on Healing Herbs."

    History of Ethnobotany

    • Ethnobotany is the study of how indigenous people of a certain culture and region use their native plants. Throughout time, humankind has used plant fibers, oils and seeds to make useful products. Evidence of ancient people using medicinal plants dates to 2700 B.C. when the Chinese used herbs in science. The Egyptians published a list of 700 "green pharmacy" formulas known as the Ebers Papyrus in 1550 B.C. Some better known green pharmacy success stories include the extraction of digitalis from foxglove in 1775 to treat heart attacks and the synthesis of salicin, found in willow bark, in 1899 to make aspirin.

    Dr. James Duke

    • Born in 1928, Duke has scrutinized plants since he was five years old. As a college student, he took a botany class as an elective and the subject captivated him. He soon swapped his music major for a botany major and supplemented his education in botany to include Master's and Ph.D. degrees. Credible sources cite Duke as an authority in his field. "The Wall Street Journal" cited Dr. Duke's work in a 2009 article about edible weeds. The Horticulture Department of Purdue University included Dr. Duke's 1983 "Handbook of Energy Crops" in its online Center for New Crops & Plants Products.

    Critics

    • Most editorial reviews for "The Green Pharmacy" are positive overall. The "Library Journal" calls it "readable and fun." However, its review notes that Duke did not provide accurate references or a bibliography for some of his claims.

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