Staff Profile:Professor Elizabeth Williamson
- Name:
- Professor Elizabeth Williamson
- Job Title:
- Director, Pharmacy Practice
- Responsibilities:
Prof Williamson is a registered pharmacist. She is involved with the quality control and legal status of herbal materials and is a member of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission which examines these issues. She is Chair of the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) for Herbal and Complementary Medicines, and Chair of the Veterinary Medicines Panel, which advise on quality standards for drugs produced by the pharmaceutical industry. She is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Phytotherapy Research, a Member of the Research Committee of the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy, and advisor to the International Foundation for Science in Stockholm, Sweden. She has acted as a pharmaceutical consultant to the media, for example the BBC TV series 'Grow Your Own Drugs' and 'Victorian Pharmacy'
- Areas of Interest:
Many patients take food or herbal supplements, and the safety and efficacy of these products is very important. Herbal medicines are complex mixtures of phytochemicals which may interact with each other in a synergistic manner and can also affect the action of prescription medicines. Current projects include investigating the effect of natural products on mesenchymal stem cell differentiation into osteoblasts, which is relevant to bone health and mineralization (in collaboration with Dr Katrina Bicknell), and looking at how and why patients take herbal medicines, and if this practice can pose a risk to health (in collaboration with Dr Rachel Howard).
- Research groups / Centres:
- Publications:
-
YNumber of items: 23.
2011
Saslis-Lagoudakis, C. H., Klitgaard, B. B., Forest, F., Francis, L., Savolainen, V., Williamson, E. M. and Hawkins, J. A. (2011) The use of phylogeny to interpret cross-cultural patterns in plant use and guide medicinal plant discovery: an example from Pterocarpus (Leguminosae). PloS ONE, 6 (7). e22275. ISSN 1932-6203
Saslis-Lagoudakis, C. H., Williamson, L., Savolainen, V. and Hawkins, J. (2011) Cross-cultural comparison of three medicinal floras and implications for bioprospecting strategies. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 135 (17). pp. 476-487. ISSN 0378-8741
2010
Hill, A. J., Weston, S. E., Jones, N., Smith, I., Bevan , S., Williamson, E. M., Stephens, G. J., Williams, C. M. and Whalley, B. J. (2010) Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarin suppresses in vitro epileptiform and in vivo seizure activity in adult rat. Epilepsia, 51 (8). pp. 1522-1532. ISSN 0013-9580
Shah, P., Donyai, P. and Williamson, E. M. (2010) Students’ perception of the safety and value of a herbal vs. a conventional medicine for treating insomnia. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 17 (S2). B91-B92. ISSN 0961-7671
2009
Williamson, E.M. and Rankin-Box, D. (2009) Complementary therapies, the placebo effect and the pharmacist. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 15 (3). pp. 172-179. ISSN 1744-3881
Coats, A. and Williamson, E.M. (2009) Scientific deception: retraction of a fraudulent paper. International Journal of Cardiology, 131 (3). p. 297. ISSN 0167-5273
Williamson, E.M. (2009) Synergy and other interactions in phytomedicines. In: Evans, W.C. (ed.) Trease and Evans' pharmacognosy. Saunders Ltd., London, pp. 53-61. ISBN 9780702029332
2008
Gulfraz, M., Mehmood, S., Ahmad, A., Fatima, N., Praveen, Z. and Williamson, E. M. (2008) Comparison of the antidiabetic activity of Berberis lyceum root extract and berberine in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Phytotherapy Research, 22 (9). pp. 1208-1212. ISSN 0951-418X
2007
Smith, E. C. J., Williamson, E. M., Wareham, N., Kaatz, G. W. and Gibbons, S. (2007) Antibacterials and modulators of bacterial resistance from the immature cones of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana. Phytochemistry, 68 (2). pp. 210-217. ISSN 0031-9422
Wilkinson, J. D. and Williamson, E. M. (2007) Cannabinoids inhibit human keratinocyte proliferation through a non-CB1/CB2 mechanism and have a potential therapeutic value in the treatment of psoriasis. Journal of Dermatological Science, 45 (2). pp. 87-92. ISSN 0923-1811
Scutt, A. and Williamson, E.M. (2007) Cannabinoids stimulate fibroblastic colony formation by bone marrow cells indirectly via CB2 receptors. Calcified Tissue International, 80 (1). pp. 50-59. ISSN 0171-967X
Williamson, E. M., Priestley, C. M. and Burgess, I. F. (2007) An investigation and comparison of the bioactivity of selected essential oils on human lice and house dust mites. Fitoterapia, 78 (7-8). pp. 521-525. ISSN 0367-326X
Weston, S.E., Whalley, B.J., Wilkinson, J.D. and Williamson, E.M. (2007) Medicinal cannabis: new findings on extracts and minor cannabinoids. In: Capasso, A. (ed.) Recent developments in medicinal plant research. Research Signpost, Trivandrum, Kerala, India, pp. 39-62. ISBN 9788130801605
Williamson, E. M. (2007) The medicinal use of essential oils and their components for treating lice and mite infestations. Natural Product Communications, 2 (12). pp. 1303-1310. ISSN 1934-578X
Putnam, S.E., Scutt, A.M., Bicknell, K., Priestley, C.M. and Williamson, E.M. (2007) Natural products as alternative treatments for metabolic bone disorders and for maintenance of bone health. Phytotherapy Research, 21 (2). pp. 99-112. ISSN 0951-418X
2006
Rankin-Box, D. and Williamson, E.M. (2006) Complementary medicine: a guide for pharmacists. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, London. ISBN 9780443070280
Priestley, C.M., Burgess, I.F. and Williamson, E.M. (2006) Lethality of essential oil constituents towards the human louse, Pediculus humanus, and its eggs. Fitoterapia, 77 (4). pp. 303-309. ISSN 0367-326X
Barnes, J., Barber, N., Wheatley, D. and Williamson, E.M. (2006) A pilot randomised, open, uncontrolled, clinical study of two dosages of St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) herb extract (LI-160) as an aid to motivational/behavioural support in smoking cessation. Planta Medica, 72 (4). pp. 378-382. ISSN 0032-0943
Weston, S. E., Williamson, E. M., Constanti, A., Stephens, G. J. and Whalley, B. J. (2006) Tetrahydrocannabivarin exhibits anticonvulsant effects in a piriform cortical brain slice model of epileptiform activity. In: British Pharmacological Society Winter Meeting 2006.
2005
Elsabagh, S., Hartley, D.E., Ali, O., Williamson, E.M. and File, S.E. (2005) Differential cognitive effects of Ginkgo biloba after acute and chronic treatment in healthy young volunteers. Psychopharmacology, 179 (2). pp. 437-446. ISSN 0033-3158
Williamson, E.M. (2005) Interactions between herbal and conventional medicines. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety, 4 (2). pp. 355-378. ISSN 1474-0338
Smith, E., Williamson, E.M., Zloh, M. and Gibbons, S. (2005) Isopimaric acid from Pinus nigra shows activity against multidrug-resistant and EMRSA strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Phytotherapy Research, 19 (6). pp. 538-542. ISSN 0951-418X
2004
Whalley, B. J., Wilkinson, J. D., Williamson, E. M. and Constanti, A. (2004) A novel component of cannabis extract potentiates excitatory synaptic transmission in rat olfactory cortex in vitro. Neuroscience Letters, 365 (1). pp. 58-63. ISSN 0304-3940
Full papers and reviews
The phenolic diterpene totarol inhibits multidrug efflux pump activity in Staphylococcus aureus. Smith ECJ, Kaatz GW, Seo SM, Wareham N, Williamson EM, Gibbons S (2007) Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 51(12) 4480-4483
Cannabinoids inhibit human keratinocyte proliferation through a non-CB1/CB2 mechanism, and have a potential therapeutic value in the treatment of psoriasis. Wilkinson JD, Williamson EM (2007) Journal of Dermatological Science 45 87-92
The medicinal use of essential oils and their components for treating lice and mite infestations. Williamson EM (2007) Natural Product Communications 2 (12):1303-1310
An investigation and comparison of the bioactivity of selected essential oils on human lice and house dust mites. Williamson EM, Priestley CM, Burgess IF (2007) Fitoterapia 78: 521-525
Cannabinoids stimulate fibroblastic-colony formation by bone marrow cells indirectly via CB-2 receptors. Scutt AM, Williamson EM (2007) Calcified Tissue International 80(1):50-9
Natural products as treatments for metabolic bone disorders and for maintenance of bone health. Putnam SE, Scutt AM, Bicknell K, Priestley CM, Williamson EM (2007) Phytotherapy Research 21 (2):99-112
Antibacterials and modulators of bacterial resistance from the immature cones of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana. Smith ECJ, Williamson EM, Wareham N, Kaatz GW, Gibbons S (2007) Phytochemistry 68:210-217
A pilot randomised, open-label, clinical study of two dosages of St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) herb extract (LI-160) as an aid in smoking cessation. Barnes J, Barber N, Wheatley D, Williamson EM (2006) Planta Medica 72:378-382
In vitro lethality of essential oil constituents towards the human louse, Pediculus humanus, and its eggs. Priestley CM, Burgess IF, Williamson EM (2006) Fitoterapia 77:303-309
Interactions between Herbal and Conventional Medicines. Williamson EM (2005) Expert Opinion in Drug Safety 4(2):355-378
Isopimaric acid from Pinus nigra shows activity against multi-drug resistant EMRSA strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Smith ECJ, Williamson EM, Zloh M, Gibbons S. (2005) Phytotherapy Research 538-548
Differential cognitive effects of Ginkgo biloba after acute and chronic treatment in healthy young volunteers. Elsabagh S, Hartley, Ali O, Williamson EM, File SE (2005) Psychopharmacology 179:437-446
A novel component of cannabis extract potentiates synaptic transmission in rat olfactory cortex in vitro. Whalley BJ, Wilkinson JD, Williamson EM, Constanti A (2004) Neuroscience Letters 365(1):58-63
Thymol, from thyme essential oil, is a positive allosteric modulator of human GABA-A receptors and a homo-oligomeric insect GABA receptor from Drosophila melanogaster. Priestley CM, Williamson EM, Wafford KA, Sattelle DB (2003) British Journal of Pharmacology 140(8):1363-1372
Drug Interactions between Herbal and Prescription Medicines. Williamson EM (2003) Drug Safety 26(15):1073-1092
Medicinal Cannabis: is Δ9-THC responsible for all its effects? Wilkinson JD, Whalley BJ, Baker D, Pryce G, Gibbons S, Constanti A, Williamson EM (2003) J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 55(12):1687-1694
Books
Medicinal Cannabis: New Findings on Extracts and Minor Cannabinoids. Weston SE, Whalley BJ, Wilkinson JD, Williamson EM. Ch. 3 in: Recent Developments in Medicinal Plants Research. Ed Anna Capasso. Research Signpost 2008.
Alternative and Complementary Medicine, A Guide for Pharmacists. Rankin-Box D, Williamson EM; Elsevier 2006
Potter's Cyclopedia of Herbal Medicines, Williamson EM. Pub: C W Daniels, UK. 2003
Major Herbs of Ayurveda, Dabur Research Foundation; Williamson EM (Ed); Elsevier 2002
Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy Heinrich M, Barnes J, Gibbons S, Williamson EM; Elsevier 2003
