Herbal Medicine. Expanded Commission E Monographs.
Blumenthal, Goldberg and Brinckmann's 2000 book expanded selected German Commission E monographs for herbs commonly sold in the United States, adding clinical summaries, safety information, pharmacology, dosage guidance and broader reference material for herbal medicine.
What the study did and found
The 2000 book “Herbal Medicine. Expanded Commission E monographs.” was based on the earlier English translation of the German Commission E monographs and focused on more than 100 herbs commonly sold in the United States. Rather than reporting a single experiment, it functioned as a reference work. Each monograph combined the original Commission E material with added information on history, distribution, cultivation, commerce, safety, quality standards, clinical studies, therapeutic properties, medicinal parts, chemical constituents, pharmacology, uses, contraindications, adverse effects, pregnancy and lactation, drug interactions, dosage and administration. The book also included colour photographs and appendices covering herb sales, phytomedicine research, WHO monographs, ESCOP monographs and the status of Commission E.
Why it is cited
The book is used as a historical and clinical reference for the Commission E framework and for information on individual medicinal plants. It also appears in later institutional literature: WHO herbal monographs cite Blumenthal, Goldberg and Brinckmann's volume among their references. This type of citation reflects its role as a reference source rather than evidence from one clinical trial.
The Commission E monographs remain historically important, but they should not be treated as a substitute for current systematic reviews, regulatory assessments or updated product-specific evidence. Since 2000, evidence on herbal medicines has expanded unevenly: some herbs have accumulated controlled clinical data, while others still rely mainly on traditional use, limited trials or indirect evidence. Safety assessment has also developed, especially for herb-drug interactions, product quality and pharmacovigilance. Conclusions therefore need to be checked herb by herb rather than transferred from the book as a single judgement on herbal medicine.
The topic today
Herbal medicines are now assessed within newer regulatory and evidence frameworks. In the European Union, the European Medicines Agency's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products develops EU herbal monographs, while legislation distinguishes traditional-use registration from well-established medicinal use supported by published evidence. Current evaluation places greater emphasis on standardised preparations, manufacturing quality, safety monitoring, interactions and the strength of clinical evidence for a specific indication. The 2000 volume is therefore most useful as a documented snapshot of Commission E-era knowledge and its expansion for an English-speaking clinical audience.