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Handbook of PAF and PAF Antagonists
the autonomic nervous system and, if this first volume is anything to go by, they will all be welcome additions to the shelves of libraries and individuals alike. book is authoritative, The numbering some 500 pages of which about one quarter carry the reference lists, and it is quite well indexed, although it needs to be since the contents list does not detail the subsections. Another weakness is that no page numbers are given when cross-referencing takes place within the text. These are minor problems but they make the book less easy to use for browsing than for detailed study, and so I doubt that it will appeal to undergraduates except those in their final year. On the whole, I think the book will be used mainly by those who
wish to update their knowledge in a field peripheral to their main interest, or those who want to obtain a funding in a new topic, rather than by those who are looking for state-of-the-art reviews of their own field of research. Nevertheless, there are many useful tables of data that will make this a useful reference work and a starting point for literature searches. The volume starts with a discussion of the topographical fine structure of autonomic nerves and their interactions with the target cells, which is followed by a survey of current understanding of the role of co-transmitters and ne~mod~ato~ in the autonomic nervous system. Two further general reviews are given, a detailed description of the
electrophysiological investigation of neuroeffector mechanisms and a somewhat shorter overview of intracellular signal transduction mechanisms, and then come the chapters on individual types of transmitter, divided into acetylcholine, nor-adrenaline, pmines and peptides. The book is relatively ‘fresh’ most of the chapters have a sprinkling of 1990 references- and well produced, with clear figures and very few errors. At the indicated price, it represents a bargain that should not be turned down by anyone with an interest in any aspect of the autonomic nervous system. .c. & rirL$zY Vepnrttnenf of Phamacolqy, Univdity of
PAF: Pharmacology, antagonists, facts
of different classes of PAF antagonists at the molecula and cellular levels and in vivo (citing 412 references). However, the chapters lack homogeneity in content; this is particularly marked in chapters on antagonists structurally related to PAF. Chapters 5 and 6 are presented practically as publications without experimental sections. This leaves the reader to presume (in Chapter 5) that BN52111 and BN52115 (dioxolan PAF analogues) are unresolved diastereoisomeic mixtures, although the authors state that these antagonists have been selected for ‘further development’. A short chapter on cyclic PAF analogues provides a good summary of the structure-activity strategy for this class of PAF antagonists. The part of the book covering synthetic PAF antagonists is more homogeneous except that Chapter
8 describes only the pharmacology of hetrazepines (WEB2086, WEB2170 and WEB2347). Chemistry and (or) structure-activity combined with biological results are the prominent theme in the other chapters on [1,2-c] thiazoles, ~-[~-~e~)-~l~~] carboxamides and 5-aryl-2,3dihydroimidazo[Zla] isoquinolines.These reviews are readable and provide a dynamic view of PAF research. The last chapter is devoted to the molecular lipophilic potential of selected antagonists. Despite the numerous other books and reviews in the field, this book can be recommended for its broad coverage and the generaI quality of the contributions.
Homing in on hormones
expansion. In toxicology, this is occurring in the field of adverse responses of the endocrine system to chemicai insult. The reason for this development is the enormous progress made at the level of understanding of the molecular mechanisms in production, regulation and metabolism of hormones, of their interactions with specific receptors, the central nervous system, the cytokine network, etc., and of the processing
Handbook of PAF and PAF Antagonists edited by Pierre Braquet, CRC Press, 1991. E224.00 1282 pages) ISBN 0 8493 3524 3 Platelet-activating factor (PAF) was discovered in the early 1970s; its structure (a phospholipid ether) was determined and its stereospecific synthesis achieved some years later. Over the last decade PAF antagonists have received increasing attention. It is unclear whether this handbook is intended to be a pharmacological review or a text devoted to the medicinal chemistry (or pharmacochemistry) of PAF antagonists. In general, the authors appear to have reviewed subjects according to their own specialities or interests, rather than trying to strike a balance between chemistry, pharmacology and structureactivity relationships. For example, the chapter devoted to kadsurenone (the earliest publishad natural antagonist) and its analogues describes only the chemical reactivity and the biogenic classification of benzofuranoid neolignans; information on the pharmacology of the compounds is lacking. The first chapter is an exhaustive review of the numerous effects
Endocrine Toxicology edited by Christopher K. AtterzuiN and lokn D. Flack, Cambridge ~~~ve$si~ Press, 1992. E65.00 (xiv + 475 pages) 1SBN0 522 40225 5 In each scientific discipline, it happens that one special area of research suddenly experiences a particularly rapid and productive
Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, UK CB2 lQI_
J. j. GODFROID Phu~acQchf~ie ~o~d~~, Utive?Sif~ Paris Vii, 2 place &issieu, P&s 75005,FrQQCe.
wish to update their knowledge in a field peripheral to their main interest, or those who want to obtain a funding in a new topic, rather than by those who are looking for state-of-the-art reviews of their own field of research. Nevertheless, there are many useful tables of data that will make this a useful reference work and a starting point for literature searches. The volume starts with a discussion of the topographical fine structure of autonomic nerves and their interactions with the target cells, which is followed by a survey of current understanding of the role of co-transmitters and ne~mod~ato~ in the autonomic nervous system. Two further general reviews are given, a detailed description of the
electrophysiological investigation of neuroeffector mechanisms and a somewhat shorter overview of intracellular signal transduction mechanisms, and then come the chapters on individual types of transmitter, divided into acetylcholine, nor-adrenaline, pmines and peptides. The book is relatively ‘fresh’ most of the chapters have a sprinkling of 1990 references- and well produced, with clear figures and very few errors. At the indicated price, it represents a bargain that should not be turned down by anyone with an interest in any aspect of the autonomic nervous system. .c. & rirL$zY Vepnrttnenf of Phamacolqy, Univdity of
PAF: Pharmacology, antagonists, facts
of different classes of PAF antagonists at the molecula and cellular levels and in vivo (citing 412 references). However, the chapters lack homogeneity in content; this is particularly marked in chapters on antagonists structurally related to PAF. Chapters 5 and 6 are presented practically as publications without experimental sections. This leaves the reader to presume (in Chapter 5) that BN52111 and BN52115 (dioxolan PAF analogues) are unresolved diastereoisomeic mixtures, although the authors state that these antagonists have been selected for ‘further development’. A short chapter on cyclic PAF analogues provides a good summary of the structure-activity strategy for this class of PAF antagonists. The part of the book covering synthetic PAF antagonists is more homogeneous except that Chapter
8 describes only the pharmacology of hetrazepines (WEB2086, WEB2170 and WEB2347). Chemistry and (or) structure-activity combined with biological results are the prominent theme in the other chapters on [1,2-c] thiazoles, ~-[~-~e~)-~l~~] carboxamides and 5-aryl-2,3dihydroimidazo[Zla] isoquinolines.These reviews are readable and provide a dynamic view of PAF research. The last chapter is devoted to the molecular lipophilic potential of selected antagonists. Despite the numerous other books and reviews in the field, this book can be recommended for its broad coverage and the generaI quality of the contributions.
Homing in on hormones
expansion. In toxicology, this is occurring in the field of adverse responses of the endocrine system to chemicai insult. The reason for this development is the enormous progress made at the level of understanding of the molecular mechanisms in production, regulation and metabolism of hormones, of their interactions with specific receptors, the central nervous system, the cytokine network, etc., and of the processing
Handbook of PAF and PAF Antagonists edited by Pierre Braquet, CRC Press, 1991. E224.00 1282 pages) ISBN 0 8493 3524 3 Platelet-activating factor (PAF) was discovered in the early 1970s; its structure (a phospholipid ether) was determined and its stereospecific synthesis achieved some years later. Over the last decade PAF antagonists have received increasing attention. It is unclear whether this handbook is intended to be a pharmacological review or a text devoted to the medicinal chemistry (or pharmacochemistry) of PAF antagonists. In general, the authors appear to have reviewed subjects according to their own specialities or interests, rather than trying to strike a balance between chemistry, pharmacology and structureactivity relationships. For example, the chapter devoted to kadsurenone (the earliest publishad natural antagonist) and its analogues describes only the chemical reactivity and the biogenic classification of benzofuranoid neolignans; information on the pharmacology of the compounds is lacking. The first chapter is an exhaustive review of the numerous effects
Endocrine Toxicology edited by Christopher K. AtterzuiN and lokn D. Flack, Cambridge ~~~ve$si~ Press, 1992. E65.00 (xiv + 475 pages) 1SBN0 522 40225 5 In each scientific discipline, it happens that one special area of research suddenly experiences a particularly rapid and productive
Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, UK CB2 lQI_
J. j. GODFROID Phu~acQchf~ie ~o~d~~, Utive?Sif~ Paris Vii, 2 place &issieu, P&s 75005,FrQQCe.