Vol. 45, No. 6, p. 1307, 1997 CC‘1997 ElsewerScmtce Ltd All rightsreserved.Printedin Great Britain 0031-9422:97 J17.00+0.00
Phyrochemistrr’,
Pergamon
BOOK REVIEW
Analytical Profiles of Drug Substances and Exeipients, Volume 24, edited by H. G. BRITTAIN, Academic Press, San Diego, 1996,619 pp. U.S. $99.00.
nuggets of info~ation. Crospovidone (an insoluble form of polyvinylpyrrolidone) has pharmaceutical uses as a tablet excipient (disintegrant and binder), solubilising excipient to improve drug bioavailability as well as uses for the treatment of intestinal disorders Volume 24 of this well-established series appears after and wounds. In addition, it is used as a clarifier of a gap of 1 year, which the editor attributes to the fact alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Hazing of that ‘scientists seem to have less time available for beers and wines is caused by reaction of proteins with scholarly contributions’. Fourteen drug substances oxidised polyphenols and reduction of the latter is and excipient materials are profiled for their physical achieved by binding with polyvinylpyrrolidone. and analytical characteristics and their uses. Each subAlthough this may appear to be a straightforward stance forms the basis of an individual chapter which process considerable developmental work has been has been written by specific experts in a systematic undertaken industrially to ensure that beverages manner covering description, synthesis, physical reaching our tables are clear and bright; there are properties, methods of analysis, stability, pharsome 40 references to this particular section. macokinetics and pharmacology. The applications of guar gum include pharDrug substances appear in alphabetical order and maceutical uses in tablets (binder, disintegrant), thickthe present volume includes a veritable pot-pourri ener of suspensions, sustained-release formulations including the terpenoids carbenoxolone sodium (semiand bioadhesives. Food uses include stabilising and synthetic triterpene) and solasodine (steroidal alkathickening dairy, pet, bakery, condiment and beverage loid), the antibiotics clarithromycin (macrolide), products. mafenide acetate (sulphonamide), tobramycin (amiMorphine continues to be used clinically for the noglycoside), the polysaccharides guar gum, maltotreatment of severe pain and abused by drug addicts. dextrin, starch, the polyvinyl compounds polyNarcotic antagonists are needed for the acute reversal vinylalcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone (crospovidone). of excessive opioid effects, particularly respiratory the antidepressants fluvoxamine maleate, sertraline depression. Nalmefene hydrochloride is a pure narhydrochloride, the narcotic analgesic nalmefine hydcotic antagonist which finds clinical usefulness in rochloride and the non-ionic contrast agent for magreversing the effects of aped agonists and owing to its netic resonance imaging, gadoteridol. longer duration of action it is administered as a single The spectral data is well-illustrated with figures of dose, a clear advantage over naloxone which must be actual spectra including UV, IR, MS, ‘H- and ‘%X administered by continuous intravenous infusion. NMR, together with ‘D ‘H-‘H and ‘H-‘% COSY and Doubtless this volume will be purchased by those 13CDEPT. Chromatographic profiles including TLC, who use this series and to those unfamiliar with the GLC and HPLC are given together with quantitative series it might act as a pointer to previous volumes, methodology such as radioimmunoassay. Aspects of which are of considerable relevance to the pharabsorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion maceutical and food industries. A number of chapters are detailed in the sections on pharmacokinetics whilst in the present volume contain details which are of the sections on pharmacology include therapeutic interest to phytochemists, and for al1 those who deal indications {where applicable) and uses together with with national products there is a wealth of info~ation toxicity and side effects. Each chapter is well referon analytical aspects as well as a wide range of useful enced. applications. At first glance it might appear that such a volume has little direct relevance to phytochemists, but a more J. DAVID PHILLIPSON The School of‘ Pharmacy, detailed perusal does reveal that there are interesting Unir~ersityof Landon, U.K.
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