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submissions to | Home > Reviews > Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines - The Clinical Desk Reference |
Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines - The Clinical Desk Reference |
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By Jake Paul Fratkin Shya Publications: $75.00 1240 pp. Reviewed by Al Stone A few years ago, armed with a few extra bucks from my quarterly student loan dispersement, I sent away for an exciting new book that appeared to be the answer to all of my questions about how the West sees herbal medicines. The Physician's Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines arrived in my mailbox a month later and as I searched through this massive text I soon discovered that only those few Chinese herbs made famous by mega-retailers such as GNC were covered by this big heavy book best suited for holding down light papers in a windy environment. So what does the PDR have to do with this new incarnation of Jake Fratkin's Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines? This book IS a successful PDR of patent medicines, not just another paperweight. This text comes complete with color illustrations, Chinese characters, indications and contraindications, manufacture location, and so forth. This book's depth is obvious when you see the listings for five different versions of Gan Mao Ling, all from different locations. For each formula you can easily discover if its manufacturing process conforms to the Australian Good Manufacturing Practices. When applicable, laboratory analysis is provided giving a practitioner an intimate sense of what is pure and what isn't. Citations are made for those patents that are mentioned in the State of California's Compendium of Asian Patent Medicines, a report that sought to determine which patents were adulterated with heavy metals, drugs and/or other chemicals. Of course notes that direct the clinical applications are also included as well as contraindications as we would expect of a PDR type of reference. Of key interest is a series of articles in the rear of the book written by industry spokes people and authors of OM texts. Subhuti Dharmananda writes about the history and future of patents. Andrew Ellis adds his two cents on herb substitution and label accuracy. A report that better defines exactly what the Australian GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) really mean is provided by Lorenzo Puertas. The State of California's Department of Health Services leading man Dr. Richard Ko briefly explains California's laboratory analysis that searches for heavy metals, chemicals and other adulterants in patent formulas. Author Jake Fratkin chimes in with a piece that offers some perspective on just how few patents really do pose a health threat. This is an absolutely welcome portion of the text as clear headed perspectives on this issue are often lost in favor of the sensationalism that the mass media needs to meet their own needs. There are many other useful appendices and glossaries as well. Jake Fratkin understands well the environment in which patent medicines are being used today and responds with in-depth data designed to address issues of contamination and other precautions in the use of patent formulas. While the general message of the book is that patents are safe, there is no lack of honesty in reporting those products that do not conform to GMP standards or have been found to include chemical adulterants. If your patients have questions about patents, this book will rapidly prove its worth by providing a quick source for answers that also address issues of ethical and professional concern such as the purity of the product and ultimately its safety to the patient population. 
Although the use of the book is obvious enough, a little explanation is required for one of its features. Each formula lists its ingredients. Next to each ingredient is a two letter code. This code describes the herb's main function. The key to this code is inside the back cover of the book. That's a great place for it, but unless you know to actually look there, you can spend a lot of time looking for the one reference in the entire book (on the very last line of the Table of Contents) that directs one to the code in the rear inside cover. Still, this is an awesome reference for anybody who wants to know anything about patent formulas, with a strong leaning toward those who use patents in their practice. Jake Fratkin did us all a service when he sat down with his little patent medicine paperback and saw what it could truly be. Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines, The Clinical Desk Reference is a book that has indeed come into its own. |
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