In
The Business of Botanicals, author Ann Armbrecht follows the medicinal herb’s journey from seed to shelf, revealing the inner workings of a complicated industry, and raises questions about the ethical and ecological issues of mass production of medicines derived from these healing plants, many of which are imperiled in the wild.
From tulsi to turmeric, echinacea to elderberry, medicinal herbs are big business—but do they deliver on their healing promise—to those who consume them, those who provide them, and the natural world?
The following is an excerpt from
The Business of Botanicals by Ann Armbrecht. The excerpt was originally published on Literary Hub. It has been adapted for the web.