Herbal Pharmacy: The Science and Magic of Preparing and Administering Plant Medicine

This thorough guide will be the go-to for clinical herbalists, alternative medicine practitioners, and herb enthusiasts--providing detailed step-by-step instructions, how-to information, and "why-to" explanations so readers can confidently move from following recipes to designing and preparing their own herbal remedies.

More and more people are turning to herbal remedies for healing, whether they are purchasing the remedies or making them on their own. Herbalists want their clients to have good experiences with these remedies, both to help them heal and to foster a positive regard for herbs and, by extension, the healing power of nature. This in-depth guide teaches readers respect, care, and understanding for all aspects of preparing herbal medicines, to ensure what they make is safe and efficacious.

Individual chapters address making herbal extractions in water, oils and fats, alcohol, vinegar, honey, glycerin, and other media, supplemented with easy-to-follow tables and charts. Herbal Pharmacy also covers the practical aspects of administering herbal remedies: figuring dosage, duration of care, and the specifics of deciding how to apply a remedy to produce the best outcome.

Throughout, Bancroft--a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild who has been educating for over three decades--provides detailed instructions to help even inexperienced or anxious medicine makers successfully design and prepare their own recipes for effective remedies.

Author: Betzy Bancroft
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing Company
Published: 04/07/2026
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 2.02lbs
Size: 9.62h x 7.98w x 0.69d
ISBN: 9781645022770

About the Author
Betzy Bancroft has been teaching herbal medicine making for more than three decades at herbalism schools and events. Betzy is one of the founders of the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, where she teaches classes including medicine making and formulation, and is a mentor for clinical interns. She also teaches and often leads herb walks at Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary and is a regular presenter at the Vermont NOFA winter conference. She is on the advisory board of United Plant Savers.