- Email: [email protected]
Painless reading The pharmacology of opioid peptides
0
0
K
s
PiMess reading TthePharmacology of OPioid
hvo years rather than annually. This book has been written in the wake of this new enthusiasm. The P.Zptides title is somewhat misleading since the book covers far more than the cdi ted by Leon F. pharmamlogyof opioid peptides, if Hamvood AcademicPublishers, ~harmacoloev is defined as the 18 6. E98.00 (xiii+ 524pages) H&ion of &gen,s substanceson ISI 3N3 718656329 living systems. In fact, the volume alsocontalnsa hugeamountof inioremicalsactingat opioidreceptors mation on the physiology and biothe oldest of drugs and chemistry of opioid receptors and M long fascinated mankind. In both their endogenousand exogenldem times, this fascination has ous ligands, from the control of pep P fuelled by the description of the tide biosynth& to analysis of their 6 and r-opioid receptorsand the myriadofactionsinviw. Aspxpecked mvery in the 1970s of their en- with a book of this length, the type genous ligands, the enkephalins, and style of the contributions vary :ndo@in and the dynorphins. somewhat. but the editor has done ~wever,the isolation and charac- well in obtainingcontributions from that lzation of opioid receptors took rxognizedexpots andin ,ny years, even though some of people‘toetheline’.Thechaptersare sEientist5 were armngedInajomewhatrandomfash_ ratted to the problem. Conse- ion, which does not allow for much a~n~~lv,butthisisnotanovelthat ently, the achievementsof Chris am and of Brigitte Kieffer in ming the B-opioid rweptor from : NGICS.15 mouse newoblastoma story.However,manyauthorsh&c It glioma cell hybrid in 1992 were w&m lnahlstorfcal’and the thwiastically receivedandquickly bcakdwslweardesof’miniulots’. The approaches taken b; the lowed by the characterizationof ? pe and r-opioid receptors. In authors differ in that sane give a diticmto a 5enx of I&: that this goudovewiewof anareawithaaitid eventuallybeen achieved,the cal appraise! of a wealth of data, ,petusthat thisgeneratedin opioid whereas other chapters concentrate ;earch was tremendous. Prior to on spxific points ar.d, often, data 15,the field had (in some ways) gene&d&inly by a single laboraen stagnating,and there were sug- tory. Yet others cover rather more stions that its premiere meeting, ‘Cinderella’ topics where there are e international Narcotic Reearch lessclear-cutamwenand moreroan mference, should be held every for debate,such as diabetesandn&-
Tseng,
among
seeing
: world’s finest
Book Reviews If you are interested in reviewing a recently published book, please write with details of the publication to Tips BookReuiezus,Elsevier Trends Journals, 68 Hills Road, Cambridge, UK CB2 1LA. Please note that proceedings and new editions are not reviewed in TIPS. Books previously listed under Books received are not available for review.
ception,antiopioid peptide andopioid peptides in immune and card& vascular~ction.lnmyopinian.opioid reeptorsubtypesalsofallintothe ‘Cinderella’category.~e~-roof
opioidrecep&tyPesand subtypes, over and abovep-, 6 and wopioid receptortypzs, is a matter for debate and discovery and not yet a reality. Nevertheless,in several placesin the book, including the editotis preface, at least four opioid receptors are casually referred to 1~ S , and 3, plus possiblesubtypes,whereasmolecular evidenceis avallahleonly for &-, 5- and s-opioid receptors. Such chqters do at least have the advantage of starting heatedand healthy d&&e betweencolleagues! Onthewhole,thebookisweBwltten and informative. The opioid field
K
is verycomplexand thisisa bwk for
thes@al&wch.xHowevWhe field movesso fast advancesovertaketherateofpublicationandindeed
that
aithqh there is a chapteron the clonm~oftheopioidre+or,andtie use of an&ense hxhnolasv is brie& mentkmed,therecouldt&&eonth~ impact of molexlar bio’w on the subject. Nevertheless, the volume makeasubstantialconhibution and containsa wealth of information that will hiinK new ideasto its re&rs.
UK LEl3TU.
Postscript Pos!srript
is a new section that pub-
lishes news (such as scientific awards and appointments) from national pharmacological societies and other learned societies. Announcements are free of charge and should be addressed to 7X’S Postscript, Elsevier Trends Journals, 68 Hills Road, Cambridge, UK CB2 1LA.
0
K
s
PiMess reading TthePharmacology of OPioid
hvo years rather than annually. This book has been written in the wake of this new enthusiasm. The P.Zptides title is somewhat misleading since the book covers far more than the cdi ted by Leon F. pharmamlogyof opioid peptides, if Hamvood AcademicPublishers, ~harmacoloev is defined as the 18 6. E98.00 (xiii+ 524pages) H&ion of &gen,s substanceson ISI 3N3 718656329 living systems. In fact, the volume alsocontalnsa hugeamountof inioremicalsactingat opioidreceptors mation on the physiology and biothe oldest of drugs and chemistry of opioid receptors and M long fascinated mankind. In both their endogenousand exogenldem times, this fascination has ous ligands, from the control of pep P fuelled by the description of the tide biosynth& to analysis of their 6 and r-opioid receptorsand the myriadofactionsinviw. Aspxpecked mvery in the 1970s of their en- with a book of this length, the type genous ligands, the enkephalins, and style of the contributions vary :ndo@in and the dynorphins. somewhat. but the editor has done ~wever,the isolation and charac- well in obtainingcontributions from that lzation of opioid receptors took rxognizedexpots andin ,ny years, even though some of people‘toetheline’.Thechaptersare sEientist5 were armngedInajomewhatrandomfash_ ratted to the problem. Conse- ion, which does not allow for much a~n~~lv,butthisisnotanovelthat ently, the achievementsof Chris am and of Brigitte Kieffer in ming the B-opioid rweptor from : NGICS.15 mouse newoblastoma story.However,manyauthorsh&c It glioma cell hybrid in 1992 were w&m lnahlstorfcal’and the thwiastically receivedandquickly bcakdwslweardesof’miniulots’. The approaches taken b; the lowed by the characterizationof ? pe and r-opioid receptors. In authors differ in that sane give a diticmto a 5enx of I&: that this goudovewiewof anareawithaaitid eventuallybeen achieved,the cal appraise! of a wealth of data, ,petusthat thisgeneratedin opioid whereas other chapters concentrate ;earch was tremendous. Prior to on spxific points ar.d, often, data 15,the field had (in some ways) gene&d&inly by a single laboraen stagnating,and there were sug- tory. Yet others cover rather more stions that its premiere meeting, ‘Cinderella’ topics where there are e international Narcotic Reearch lessclear-cutamwenand moreroan mference, should be held every for debate,such as diabetesandn&-
Tseng,
among
seeing
: world’s finest
Book Reviews If you are interested in reviewing a recently published book, please write with details of the publication to Tips BookReuiezus,Elsevier Trends Journals, 68 Hills Road, Cambridge, UK CB2 1LA. Please note that proceedings and new editions are not reviewed in TIPS. Books previously listed under Books received are not available for review.
ception,antiopioid peptide andopioid peptides in immune and card& vascular~ction.lnmyopinian.opioid reeptorsubtypesalsofallintothe ‘Cinderella’category.~e~-roof
opioidrecep&tyPesand subtypes, over and abovep-, 6 and wopioid receptortypzs, is a matter for debate and discovery and not yet a reality. Nevertheless,in several placesin the book, including the editotis preface, at least four opioid receptors are casually referred to 1~ S , and 3, plus possiblesubtypes,whereasmolecular evidenceis avallahleonly for &-, 5- and s-opioid receptors. Such chqters do at least have the advantage of starting heatedand healthy d&&e betweencolleagues! Onthewhole,thebookisweBwltten and informative. The opioid field
K
is verycomplexand thisisa bwk for
thes@al&wch.xHowevWhe field movesso fast advancesovertaketherateofpublicationandindeed
that
aithqh there is a chapteron the clonm~oftheopioidre+or,andtie use of an&ense hxhnolasv is brie& mentkmed,therecouldt&&eonth~ impact of molexlar bio’w on the subject. Nevertheless, the volume makeasubstantialconhibution and containsa wealth of information that will hiinK new ideasto its re&rs.
UK LEl3TU.
Postscript Pos!srript
is a new section that pub-
lishes news (such as scientific awards and appointments) from national pharmacological societies and other learned societies. Announcements are free of charge and should be addressed to 7X’S Postscript, Elsevier Trends Journals, 68 Hills Road, Cambridge, UK CB2 1LA.