By (author) Kofi Busia
A foundational textbook of herbal medicine examining the chemistry of nature’s therapeutic compounds, and the role of medicinal plants in contemporary healthcare
An essential resource for students, researchers and practitioners, The Pharmacology and Phytochemistry of Medicinal Plants will provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of bioactive constituents, therapeutic properties, and chemical composition of medicinal plants.
Beginning with foundational concepts, including the historical use of medicinal plants and ethnopharmacology, the book offers an in-depth exploration of phytochemistry, examining the structure, biosynthesis, and classification of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics, and glycosides. It continues by outlining the pharmacology of plants, exploring how these metabolites act alone, within complex mixtures, and in combination with conventional drugs.
A key strength of this book is its integration of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and herb-drug interactions, presented as a dedicated section to help readers understand how multi-component herbal mixtures interact within the body and with conventional medicines. Case studies, network pharmacology examples, and clinical insights highlight how complex mixtures can produce synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects, shaping both therapeutic outcomes and safety.
By emphasising both the chemical basis and biological effects of medicinal plants, The Pharmacology and Phytochemistry of Medicinal Plants provides a holistic and scientifically grounded framework for learning, research, and practice. It encourages readers to appreciate herbal medicines not as simple remedies, but as complex pharmacological systems, whose multi-component nature offers both unique challenges and remarkable therapeutic potential.
The Pharmacology and Phytochemistry of Medicinal Plants will equip students and practitioners with the ability to critically evaluate herbal medicines beyond single compounds; understand the mechanisms underlying efficacy and toxicity; apply this knowledge to safe, evidence-based use of herbal products; and ultimately bridge traditional knowledge with modern scientific principles.
By (author) Kofi Busia
Professor
Kofi Busia is an accomplished academic, scientist, and health systems expert whose career spans over three decades across teaching, research, and health policy development. A Chartered Chemist and Medical Herbalist (Phytotherapist), he currently serves as Pro Vice-Chancellor and Associate Professor of Ethnomedicine and Phytotherapy at Pentecost University, Ghana.
Kofi spearheaded the establishment of the first Doctor of Herbal Medicine degree programme at Pentecost University, Ghana. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Herbal Medicine (Elsevier), and Principal Postgraduate Supervisor at Lincoln University, Malaysia.
Kofi’s distinguished service at the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) included key leadership roles as Director of Healthcare Services, Acting Director of Planning and Health Information, and Programme Officer for Traditional Medicine. During his tenure, he led the development of Volumes I and II of the West African Herbal Pharmacopoeia, and coordinated major regional initiatives in adolescent health, the Ebola and COVID-19 responses, curriculum harmonisation, and leadership capacity development.
His academic training reflects a strong interdisciplinary foundation. He earned his PhD in Biological Organic (Natural Product) Chemistry and BSc (Hons) in Chemistry from Birkbeck, University of London; a BSc (Hons) in Herbal Medicine from Middlesex University; and pursued medical science studies at Queen Mary, University of London. He also undertook advanced professional training in Project Management at the Galilee International Management Institute in Israel.
Kofi has held teaching and research appointments at Birkbeck, Middlesex University, the University of Ghana, the University of East London, Lincoln University College (Malaysia), and the Pan-African University Institute for Life and Earth Sciences at the University of Ibadan.
A prolific author, his publications include Organic Chemistry for Schools, Advanced Level and Senior High School Physical and Inorganic Chemistry, and the two-volume Fundamentals of Herbal Medicine. He contributed to the African Indigenous Medical Knowledge and Human Health (CRC Press) and served as Editor of the 2nd Edition of the Ghana Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
In recognition of his exceptional contributions to traditional medicine development in West Africa, he was decorated in 2013 as a Chevalier de
l’Ordre National du Burkina Faso (Knight of the National Order of Burkina Faso).
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