This book aims to guide and inspire drug researchers as they enter the 21st century. Stereochemistry is an essential dimension in pharmacology and should be understood as such by all drug researchers whatever their background. When used as probes or medicines, stereoisomeric drugs offer invaluable insights or innovative therapeutic strategies. The book spans the subject from the molecular to the clinical. The first section on chemical aspects contains chapters on chemical synthesis, analysis, natural products, chiral stability (racemezation) and physical properties. The second section is on experimental pharmacology, with chapters on drug-receptor interactions, chiral recognition, ion channels, and molecular toxicology. The third section focuses on drug disposition, with chapters on absorption, distribution, protein binding, metabolism and elimination. The final section is dedicated to regulatory and clinical aspects.

The volume contains the main papers presented at the 1994 EUROTOX Congress, Basel, Switzerland, August 21-24, 1994. Toxicology has become a less descriptive science because more importance has been placed on the mechanisms underlying toxic effects. This is reflected in symposia and workshops devoted to species differences in organ toxicity, receptor-mediated toxicity and stereochemical effects of xenobiotics. Recent progress in the fields of immunotoxicology, ecotoxicology, and neurotoxicology is highlighted and documented together with the present discussion on harmonized regulatory guidelines.

Covering every essential element in the development of chiral products, this reference provides a solid overview of the formulation, biopharmaceutical characteristics, and regulatory issues impacting the production of these pharmaceuticals. It supports researchers as they evaluate the pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological characteristics of specific enantiomers and chiral drug compounds and addresses in one convenient reference all the major challenges pertaining to drug chirality that have been neglected in the literature. Chirality in Drug Design and Development collects the latest studies from an interdisciplinary team of experts on chiral drug design.

Drug Metabolism: Current Concepts provides a comprehensive understanding of the processes that take place following ingestion of a medicinal agent or xenobiotic, with an emphasis on the crucial role of metabolism (biotransformation). How a sound knowledge of these phenomena is incorporated into the design of effective new drug candidates is also explained. The user-friendly text focuses on concepts rather than extraneous details and is supported by many illustrated examples of biotransformations as well as frequent references to current critical reviews and articles highlighting the nature of research objectives in this vibrant area of medicinal development. The final topic on strategies for drug design relies on the background provided by the rest of the book. This book is ideally suited as an advanced text for courses in drug metabolism for students of medicine, pharmacy, pharmacology, biochemistry; and for courses in drug design and drug delivery for students of medicinal chemistry. It is also appropriate for professional seminars or courses that relate to the fate of a drug in the body, drug interactions, adverse reactions and drug design.

In recent years our understanding of molecular mechanisms of drug action and interindividual variability in drug response has grown enormously. Meanwhile, the practice of anesthesiology has expanded to the preoperative environment and numerous locations outside the OR. Anesthetic Pharmacology: Basic Principles and Clinical Practice, 2nd edition, is an outstanding therapeutic resource in anesthesia and critical care: Section 1 introduces the principles of drug action, Section 2 presents the molecular, cellular and integrated physiology of the target organ/functional system and Section 3 reviews the pharmacology and toxicology of anesthetic drugs. The new Section 4, Therapeutics of Clinical Practice, provides integrated and comparative pharmacology and the practical application of drugs in daily clinical practice. Edited by three highly acclaimed academic anesthetic pharmacologists, with contributions from an international team of experts, and illustrated in full colour, this is a sophisticated, user-friendly resource for all practitioners providing care in the perioperative period.

The series Topics in Current Chemistry presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in modern chemical research. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience. Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field.

A compilation of researchers' experience in the areas of bioanalysis, pharmacokinetics, and drug metabolism, to present an up-to-date and comprehensive treatise on the application of these and related technologies in drug discovery, development, and clinical use. Contents cover descriptions of analytical methods, in vitro metabolism technology and membrane transport, reappraisal of classical pharmacokinetic problems, and the time course of drug action. The book concludes with a description of PET and imaging methods in pharmacokinetics and an appendix containing a critical appraisal of computer methods and pharmacokinetic software available for PCs.