“Medicinal Plant Reference Book” Chosen as The Book of The Year

Dr Seyed Ahmad Emami

“Medicinal Plant Reference Book” in two volumes, written by Dr. Seyed Ahmad Imami, Professor of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy. He, together with some of the country’s pharmaceutical researchers, collaborated in authorship and translation of this book. It was chosen as Islamic Republic of Iran’s book of the year and honored by the president.

 “Medicinal Plants Reference Book” was chosen as the book of the year in the 32nd Islamic Republic of Iran Award for the Book of the Year, Amir Mahdi Taleb reported. Amir Mahdi Taleb is a member of faculty of Deputy Ministry for Education, Ministry of Health and Medical Education and it was his efforts that made the publication of this book possible. He said, ” ‘Medicinal Plant Reference Book’  has been compiled in two volumes with more than two thousand pages, with the use of the latest edition and translation of the book  ‘PDR for Herbal Medicines’, and the addition of Iranian and Islamic civilizational, cultural and medical materials, the distribution of the mentioned plants in Iran, the addition of Farsi names to the rest of the material.”

He added, “The topics have been compiled by a team of prominent and well-qualified scientists’ reliance on various reliable sources. In each main entry the following information has been included:  the scientific name, the common names, botanical description, medical uses with reliance to their mechanism, other uses, drug interactions, adverse effects and cautionary notes, side effects of overdose, way of using the medicinal plants and at last the related source.”

Taleb also said, “This book consists of useful indexes such as scientific and common names, their use in classic and traditional medicine together with complementary and alternative medicine, treatment properties, drug interactions, their use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, their use in pediatrics, and other topics, all of which have contributed to its great value.”

He mentioned that the translation of this work was not a simple task and added, “This work should not be considered as a sheer translation, because in the original text only 384 colored pictures of the species were published whereas in the Farsi translation about 300 colored pictures of the remaining plants were included.

On the other hand, in the Farsi translation of this work, the scientific name of each plant, the name of the authority, and the name of the family, and in case there is a Farsi Equivalent that has also been mentioned.”

In addition he said, “Among some of the other things that the translators did, were further explanations where necessary and pointing out some of the incorrectness in the original texts. Of course due to scientific loyalty to the original text, the translation of the actual text was done and then in the parantheses the translator’s explanation was added”

Medicinal Plant Reference Book, in two volumes published in collaboration with:

Ahmad Imami, PharmD, PhD,  Professor of Faculty of Pharmacy of Mashhad University of Medical sciences, Shirin Fasihi, MSc,  and  Iraj Mehregan, PhD,  Assistant Professor of Faculty of Basic Sciences of Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Ramin Abrishami,  PharmD, PhD,  Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran Health Department, Hossein Khalili,  PharmD, PhD, Professor of  Tehran University of Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Amir Houshang Mohammadpour, PharmD, PhD,  Associate Professor of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Amir Mahdi Taleb, a member of faculty of Deputy Ministry for Education, Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

Ceremony for honoring the winners of Book of The Year Award was held on the 8th of February in Tehran with the presence of the President.