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Biochemistry of redox reaction
PHARMACEUTICS\ ACTA HELVETIAE ELSEVIER
Pharmaceutics
Acta Helvetiae
70 (1995) 263-264
Book Reviews
Biochemistry of Redox Reaction
Biochemistry of Redox Reaction. Press, London, 1995, f75.
B. Testa,
Academic
This book is the first that has appeared from a series of volumes in preparation on The Metabolism of Drugs and Other Xenobiotics, edited by Bernard Testa and John Caldwell. There is no question about the scientific importance of the topic and the scientific community should be indebted to the editors that they are undertaking the tremendous work of making the books. Profound knowledge of metabolism is the future requirement for (economic) success, and not only in drug development. A huge number of nutrition additives, dye stuffs, preservatives, etc. are introduced into the human body in several ways. An increasing number of allergic reactions to drugs and food as well as clothing and cosmetics demands a careful study of the biochemistry by which the body tries to get rid of drugs and xenobiotics. This first volume is devoted to the biochemistry of redox reaction. The nearly five hundred pages are divided into fourteen chapters. Each chapter carefully describes the general reaction mechanisms, all different types of substrates, special stereochemistry and a lot of exceptions. Each chapter ends with a list of about one hundred references, again demonstrating the state-of-the-art work that is presented in this book.
The competence of the author is beyond any doubt. I quote the foreword, written by the Nobel Prize laureate Sir James Black (sic!): “Bernard Testa... is uniquely qualified to do so. Not only has he spent his life in intensely researching this area, but he has also the experience of co-authoring a previous review published in 1976. More important, however, is Professor Testa’s philosophical objective of a search for underlying principles so that newcomers will be attracted to persuing new ideas.” What I really like and what I would like to emphasize is the fact that this book is not only a comprehensive collection of biochemical data on redox mechanisms, but is legible as well. The personal style and the commitment of the author that can be felt between the lines contributes to my unreserved recommendation to have this book on the shelf of everyone who is busy in the field of making compounds that interact with living systems.
Gerd Folkers Dept. of Pharmacy ETH Ziirich Winterthurerstr. 190 CH-8057 Ziirich Switzerland
Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. N.G. Bisset (Ed.), Medpharm GmbH, Scientific Publisher, Stuttgart, 1994, 568 pages, SFr. 298.00, ISBN 3-88763-025-4.
Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals is a book that impresses by its professional style. The drugs and the plants are shown in 434 full colour and 312 blackand-white illustrations, the quality is extremely good
and the hard cover is very solid. The language of this book is English. The book is divided into two parts: a general and a monograph part. In the general part, standard licences for herbal teas and herbal mixtures, such as cough tea, sedative tea etc., including uses, dosage and manner of use, are described. The preparation of the herbals, the methods of making the teas, storage, package and keeping properties as well as import control and test-
Pharmaceutics
Acta Helvetiae
70 (1995) 263-264
Book Reviews
Biochemistry of Redox Reaction
Biochemistry of Redox Reaction. Press, London, 1995, f75.
B. Testa,
Academic
This book is the first that has appeared from a series of volumes in preparation on The Metabolism of Drugs and Other Xenobiotics, edited by Bernard Testa and John Caldwell. There is no question about the scientific importance of the topic and the scientific community should be indebted to the editors that they are undertaking the tremendous work of making the books. Profound knowledge of metabolism is the future requirement for (economic) success, and not only in drug development. A huge number of nutrition additives, dye stuffs, preservatives, etc. are introduced into the human body in several ways. An increasing number of allergic reactions to drugs and food as well as clothing and cosmetics demands a careful study of the biochemistry by which the body tries to get rid of drugs and xenobiotics. This first volume is devoted to the biochemistry of redox reaction. The nearly five hundred pages are divided into fourteen chapters. Each chapter carefully describes the general reaction mechanisms, all different types of substrates, special stereochemistry and a lot of exceptions. Each chapter ends with a list of about one hundred references, again demonstrating the state-of-the-art work that is presented in this book.
The competence of the author is beyond any doubt. I quote the foreword, written by the Nobel Prize laureate Sir James Black (sic!): “Bernard Testa... is uniquely qualified to do so. Not only has he spent his life in intensely researching this area, but he has also the experience of co-authoring a previous review published in 1976. More important, however, is Professor Testa’s philosophical objective of a search for underlying principles so that newcomers will be attracted to persuing new ideas.” What I really like and what I would like to emphasize is the fact that this book is not only a comprehensive collection of biochemical data on redox mechanisms, but is legible as well. The personal style and the commitment of the author that can be felt between the lines contributes to my unreserved recommendation to have this book on the shelf of everyone who is busy in the field of making compounds that interact with living systems.
Gerd Folkers Dept. of Pharmacy ETH Ziirich Winterthurerstr. 190 CH-8057 Ziirich Switzerland
Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. N.G. Bisset (Ed.), Medpharm GmbH, Scientific Publisher, Stuttgart, 1994, 568 pages, SFr. 298.00, ISBN 3-88763-025-4.
Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals is a book that impresses by its professional style. The drugs and the plants are shown in 434 full colour and 312 blackand-white illustrations, the quality is extremely good
and the hard cover is very solid. The language of this book is English. The book is divided into two parts: a general and a monograph part. In the general part, standard licences for herbal teas and herbal mixtures, such as cough tea, sedative tea etc., including uses, dosage and manner of use, are described. The preparation of the herbals, the methods of making the teas, storage, package and keeping properties as well as import control and test-