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Biochemical toxicology — A practical approach
119 Overall this is a comprehensive book reviewing much of the literature on IgG subclasses which forms both an excellent reference text for the expert and a complete coverage of the subject for the worker entering this field. This volume is complemented by Monographs in Allergy Vol. 20, which examines in detail the immunoglubulin subclass deficiencies. J.T. Whither
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Biochemical Toxicology - A Practical Approach K. Snell and B. Mullock IRL Press Ltd., Oxford, UK, February 1987, 308 pp., cover
f16.00 soft cover f26.00 hard
The application of biochemistry to the study of toxic agents has expanded in recent years and looks set to play a major role in the future search for an understanding of mechanisms of toxicity. In the wide sphere of biochemical toxicology, it would have been impossible to cover successfully all of the practical aspects in a single book and therefore the selection of methods used in specific, topical and fundamental studies is a good approach. Since the book is intended for newcomers to the field of biochemical toxicology, a more detailed rationale for the selection of topics covered and a more suitable title for the book (e.g. ‘Selected topics in biochemical toxicology’) would have been appropriate. The book rightly places much emphasis on the liver with respect to xenobiotic metabolism and the detection of cellular toxicity. Other cellular systems (e.g. embryo culture) and subcellular organelles (lysosomes, mitochondria, peroxisomes, plasma membrane vesicles and microsomal fractions) are also considered. Much of the emphasis is on in vitro methodology which is of rapidly increasing use and importance in toxicology and it is appropriate that the contributors are from a range of governmental, industrial, academic and Research Council Laboratories. The individual articles are well presented and authoritative. They give the fine detail to experimental procedures which has become recognised in this practical approach series. In general, the contributions explore modem methodology in the context of their subject headings. It is surprising that the chapter on metabolism and distribution in vivo of drugs did not cover biliary excretion and I presume that space restricted this chapter to radiolabelled drugs which is a pity in the light of recent developments in drug metabolism using NMR. More emphasis might have been given to high pressure liquid chromatography which currently plays a major role in drug metabolite analysis. It is also unfortunate that the very sensitive P32-postlabelling method for DNA-adducts was not referred to in the chapter on covalent binding. The section on microsomal fractions in xenobiotic metabolism might well have been followed by a short chapter on the practical aspects of isolating and characterising cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes, the techniques for which are likely to be used in many future laboratory studies. These criticisms are very minor. Of more concern is the lack of integration of the various chapters. For example, the appendix to the section on the preparation of cells could easily have been incorporated into the main chapter irrespective of the different authorship. Many of the articles could have employed a cross-referencing system to prevent repetition. For example, Chapters 3, 5 and 8 all give a detailed explanation of how to prepare a post-mitochondrial supematant (S9) with some further related information also given in Chapter 9. Also, there is not a need for details of hepatocyte preparation in Chapter 5 since this is covered comprehensively in Chapter 3. A cross-referencing system to integrate material from related chapters would easily have overcome this repetition. Similarly, Chapter 1 could have referred to Chapter 2 for bile duct cannulation. The explanation of techniques are very clear throughout the text although the desire the convey a complete understanding of the practical procedures is perhaps carried too far in a few cases (for instance, I doubt if any reader needs a diagram of an homogeniser). The attention to detail and the ‘tricks of the
120 trade’ is commendable. Also of immense value are the authors’ comments on interpretation of results which are often lacking in texts on methodology. A simple set of instructions are provided for complete novices to embark on their field of interest. The book will be particularly useful for laboratory workers entering the field of toxicology and for those who need to establish recent methodology for the study of mechanisms of toxicity. A number of the methods have been described in the literature previously but put together as a collection in the context of toxicology, the book becomes a useful manual at a very reasonable price. The book is recommended as an important contribution to the practical approach series. J.K. Chipman Birmingham, UK
* *
l
*
*
Biochemical Toxicology - A Practical Approach K. Snell and B. Mullock IRL Press Ltd., Oxford, UK, February 1987, 308 pp., cover
f16.00 soft cover f26.00 hard
The application of biochemistry to the study of toxic agents has expanded in recent years and looks set to play a major role in the future search for an understanding of mechanisms of toxicity. In the wide sphere of biochemical toxicology, it would have been impossible to cover successfully all of the practical aspects in a single book and therefore the selection of methods used in specific, topical and fundamental studies is a good approach. Since the book is intended for newcomers to the field of biochemical toxicology, a more detailed rationale for the selection of topics covered and a more suitable title for the book (e.g. ‘Selected topics in biochemical toxicology’) would have been appropriate. The book rightly places much emphasis on the liver with respect to xenobiotic metabolism and the detection of cellular toxicity. Other cellular systems (e.g. embryo culture) and subcellular organelles (lysosomes, mitochondria, peroxisomes, plasma membrane vesicles and microsomal fractions) are also considered. Much of the emphasis is on in vitro methodology which is of rapidly increasing use and importance in toxicology and it is appropriate that the contributors are from a range of governmental, industrial, academic and Research Council Laboratories. The individual articles are well presented and authoritative. They give the fine detail to experimental procedures which has become recognised in this practical approach series. In general, the contributions explore modem methodology in the context of their subject headings. It is surprising that the chapter on metabolism and distribution in vivo of drugs did not cover biliary excretion and I presume that space restricted this chapter to radiolabelled drugs which is a pity in the light of recent developments in drug metabolism using NMR. More emphasis might have been given to high pressure liquid chromatography which currently plays a major role in drug metabolite analysis. It is also unfortunate that the very sensitive P32-postlabelling method for DNA-adducts was not referred to in the chapter on covalent binding. The section on microsomal fractions in xenobiotic metabolism might well have been followed by a short chapter on the practical aspects of isolating and characterising cytochrome P-450 isoenzymes, the techniques for which are likely to be used in many future laboratory studies. These criticisms are very minor. Of more concern is the lack of integration of the various chapters. For example, the appendix to the section on the preparation of cells could easily have been incorporated into the main chapter irrespective of the different authorship. Many of the articles could have employed a cross-referencing system to prevent repetition. For example, Chapters 3, 5 and 8 all give a detailed explanation of how to prepare a post-mitochondrial supematant (S9) with some further related information also given in Chapter 9. Also, there is not a need for details of hepatocyte preparation in Chapter 5 since this is covered comprehensively in Chapter 3. A cross-referencing system to integrate material from related chapters would easily have overcome this repetition. Similarly, Chapter 1 could have referred to Chapter 2 for bile duct cannulation. The explanation of techniques are very clear throughout the text although the desire the convey a complete understanding of the practical procedures is perhaps carried too far in a few cases (for instance, I doubt if any reader needs a diagram of an homogeniser). The attention to detail and the ‘tricks of the
120 trade’ is commendable. Also of immense value are the authors’ comments on interpretation of results which are often lacking in texts on methodology. A simple set of instructions are provided for complete novices to embark on their field of interest. The book will be particularly useful for laboratory workers entering the field of toxicology and for those who need to establish recent methodology for the study of mechanisms of toxicity. A number of the methods have been described in the literature previously but put together as a collection in the context of toxicology, the book becomes a useful manual at a very reasonable price. The book is recommended as an important contribution to the practical approach series. J.K. Chipman Birmingham, UK