- Email: [email protected]
Handbook of methods for oxygen radical research
FreeRadicalBiology&Medicine,Vol.3. p. 161. 1987 Printedin the USA.Allright reserved.
0849-SM911f/ $3.00+ .00 © 198"/PergamonJournalsLtd.
0 Book Review I
I
ill
I
I
HANDBOOK OF METHODS FOR OXYGEN RADICAL RESEARCH ROBERT A. GREENWALD CRC Press, Boca Raton. Price: $148.00 Reviewedby Kelvin.I.A. Davies,Ph.D. Institute for Toxicology& Departmentof Biochemistry,The Universityof SouthernCalifornia, 1985Zonal Avenue. HSC-PSC614-616, Los Angeles,CA 90033, USA This book was originally published in 1985, and was submitted to this journal for review in 1986. Due to an unfortunate editorial error, the following critique was never published. 1 apologize to Dr. Greenwald, CRC Press, and interested readers for this delay, in re-evaluating the book (and my review) I find that the methods described are still valid and, for the most part, have changed little since they were originally penned. The Handbook of Methods for Oxygen Radical Research contains some 73 chapters, divided into 6 sections. More than 80 scientists contributed to this work, which was also aided by the efforts of an advisory board consisting of; Drs. Wolf Bors, Gerald Cohen, Irwin Fridovich, and Larry Oberley. The volume contains a detailed table of contents and an extensive index. The foreword by Dr. Joe Bannister and the preface by Dr. Robert Greenwald (the editor) are followed by 425 pages of useful methods. The book is a hardbound, attractive volume w h i ~ is printed on good quality paper. The authors of almost every chapter are well known researchers in the free radical field, and this lends a depth and authority to the volume which readers will appreciate. The sections and sub-sections, each of which is prefaced by an overview, are as follows: i) Preparative Procedures (pages 3-45) 2) Oxygen Radical Generating Systems (pages 49113) 3) Analytical Methods (pages 117-207) a, Measurement of superoxide anion b. Detection of hydroxyl radical c. Other radical systems 4) Quantitation of Superoxide Dismutase (pages 211323) a. Tissue assays 5) Cellular Phenomena (pages 327-382) 6) Miscellaneous Methods (pages 385-429)
161
Each method is followed by a list of references which include the titles of both books and published papers. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, inclusive page numbers are not provided in the references (the first page for each reference is given). My two main criticisms of the book are; 1) A somewhat confused or confusing organization in the table of contents and the text, and 2) A cursory description of radiation methods for radical production. My first criticism involves the inconsistent use of subsections in the table of contents. In section 4: "Quantitation of Superoxide Dismutase," for example, "Tissue Assays" is the first sub-section yet it is preceded by 13 other methods which are not grouped into a sub-section. The "Tissue Assays" sub-section actually describes antiand pro-oxidant enzymes other than superoxide dismutase, and thus appears to be out of place. The final section (6) entitled "Miscellaneous Methods" is, as the name implies, a collection of unrelated procedures and techniques. My second criticism involves the description of radiation methods for oxygen radical production. Both ~ o radiation and pulse radiolysis are discussed in this volume, but not in the detail which one might expect. Ionizing radiation is discussed as a source of O2- in section 2, but other radicals ~e not adequately covered. Radiation is again discussed in section 6, but here the emphasis is on biological effects. Despite these criticisms, I have found the Handbook of Methods for Oxygen Radical Research to be an extremely valuable addition to my bookshelf. It is exactly the kind of volume to reach for when confronted with the need to perform new assays or procedures. Laboratory technicians, students, post-doctoral fellows, and senior researchers will all find this book useful and easy to read. I would suspect that the "Handbook" has already found a place in the libraries of many free radical researchers, and will continue to be a valuable "find" for many years to come.
0849-SM911f/ $3.00+ .00 © 198"/PergamonJournalsLtd.
0 Book Review I
I
ill
I
I
HANDBOOK OF METHODS FOR OXYGEN RADICAL RESEARCH ROBERT A. GREENWALD CRC Press, Boca Raton. Price: $148.00 Reviewedby Kelvin.I.A. Davies,Ph.D. Institute for Toxicology& Departmentof Biochemistry,The Universityof SouthernCalifornia, 1985Zonal Avenue. HSC-PSC614-616, Los Angeles,CA 90033, USA This book was originally published in 1985, and was submitted to this journal for review in 1986. Due to an unfortunate editorial error, the following critique was never published. 1 apologize to Dr. Greenwald, CRC Press, and interested readers for this delay, in re-evaluating the book (and my review) I find that the methods described are still valid and, for the most part, have changed little since they were originally penned. The Handbook of Methods for Oxygen Radical Research contains some 73 chapters, divided into 6 sections. More than 80 scientists contributed to this work, which was also aided by the efforts of an advisory board consisting of; Drs. Wolf Bors, Gerald Cohen, Irwin Fridovich, and Larry Oberley. The volume contains a detailed table of contents and an extensive index. The foreword by Dr. Joe Bannister and the preface by Dr. Robert Greenwald (the editor) are followed by 425 pages of useful methods. The book is a hardbound, attractive volume w h i ~ is printed on good quality paper. The authors of almost every chapter are well known researchers in the free radical field, and this lends a depth and authority to the volume which readers will appreciate. The sections and sub-sections, each of which is prefaced by an overview, are as follows: i) Preparative Procedures (pages 3-45) 2) Oxygen Radical Generating Systems (pages 49113) 3) Analytical Methods (pages 117-207) a, Measurement of superoxide anion b. Detection of hydroxyl radical c. Other radical systems 4) Quantitation of Superoxide Dismutase (pages 211323) a. Tissue assays 5) Cellular Phenomena (pages 327-382) 6) Miscellaneous Methods (pages 385-429)
161
Each method is followed by a list of references which include the titles of both books and published papers. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, inclusive page numbers are not provided in the references (the first page for each reference is given). My two main criticisms of the book are; 1) A somewhat confused or confusing organization in the table of contents and the text, and 2) A cursory description of radiation methods for radical production. My first criticism involves the inconsistent use of subsections in the table of contents. In section 4: "Quantitation of Superoxide Dismutase," for example, "Tissue Assays" is the first sub-section yet it is preceded by 13 other methods which are not grouped into a sub-section. The "Tissue Assays" sub-section actually describes antiand pro-oxidant enzymes other than superoxide dismutase, and thus appears to be out of place. The final section (6) entitled "Miscellaneous Methods" is, as the name implies, a collection of unrelated procedures and techniques. My second criticism involves the description of radiation methods for oxygen radical production. Both ~ o radiation and pulse radiolysis are discussed in this volume, but not in the detail which one might expect. Ionizing radiation is discussed as a source of O2- in section 2, but other radicals ~e not adequately covered. Radiation is again discussed in section 6, but here the emphasis is on biological effects. Despite these criticisms, I have found the Handbook of Methods for Oxygen Radical Research to be an extremely valuable addition to my bookshelf. It is exactly the kind of volume to reach for when confronted with the need to perform new assays or procedures. Laboratory technicians, students, post-doctoral fellows, and senior researchers will all find this book useful and easy to read. I would suspect that the "Handbook" has already found a place in the libraries of many free radical researchers, and will continue to be a valuable "find" for many years to come.