The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has released updates to nine botanicals via the online Botanical Safety Handbook 2nd ed. A new entry for Verbena hastata (blue vervain) has been created.

The following online entries have been updated or introduced:

• Foeniculum spp. (fennel): A recent review identified clinical trials, human and animal pharmacological studies, and toxicity studies.
• Magnolia officinalis (magnolia): A review identified new adverse events and case reports as well as animal and in vitro pharmacological studies.
• Magnolia spp. (magnolia flower bud): A review identified an additional pharmacological study.
• Magnolia virginiana (sweetbay magnolia): A review did not identify any new relevant safety information for sweetbay magnolia.
• Sambucus spp. (elder fruit): A review added references for adverse events in clinical trials, and human and invitro pharmacological studies.
• Sambucus spp. (elder flower): A review identified an additional cytotoxicity study and added a Notice for cyanogenic glycosides.
• Verbena officinalis (European vervain): A review identified new animal pharmacology and reproductive studies, as well as recent toxicity studies.
• Verbena hastata (blue vervain): This entry for blue vervain was added in March 2022.
• Veratrum viride (American hellebore): A review identified case reports for a closely related botanical.
• Viscum album (European mistletoe): A review identified a new clinical trial, animal drug interaction trial, and an in vitro pharmacology study.

AHPA members can obtain a hard copy or an annual individual subscription to the online Botanical Safety Handbook for $95.00, with multi-user rates available for companies needing expanded access. Information about hard copy purchases and subscriptions can be found on the AHPA website.

Subscribers to the online Botanical Safety Handbook can review short descriptions of updated entries in the "Revisions" panel on the online version homepage when they log in. The online Botanical Safety Handbook is undergoing review of existing entries and the addition of new entries to provide the latest safety information before it can be included in the next print edition of the handbook. AHPA will continue to post additional updates to existing entries as well as develop new botanical entries. Current subscribers will be notified of these updates when they become available.

AHPA's Botanical Safety Handbook is an essential tool for anyone who manufactures, recommends, or uses herbal products. The handbook provides safety information on over 500 species of herbs, derived from data compiled from clinical trials, pharmacological and toxicological studies, medical case reports, and historical texts. All entries are reviewed by an Expert Advisory Council that includes some of the most renowned herbal and integrative medicine experts in the United States.