Preliminary fact-finding before you begin a search for information on herbs and other botanicals can save time and trouble. In most databases, the best searches often include the plant's common name, scientific name (genus and/or species), and unique chemical constituents (if any have been identified):
Individual plant names: Consider using the species or genus in addition to the common name(s), which can vary according to geographical location.
Plant constituents (chemical components): Consider including specific plant constituents in your search, especially for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic aspects. NOTE: Constituents specific to a species or its genus that have been identified as producing a bioactive or therapeutic effect make the best search terms.
For example:
health condition, common name & bioactive constituent
health condition, common name, genus & bioactive constituent
Watch the video and/or read the captions to find out best uses for these top botanical searching picks! NOTE: the volume is quite low, so it is recommended to turn on closed captioning.
