Progress In Drug Research 31

Progress in Drug Research is a prestigious book series (founded in 1959) which provides extensive expert-written reviews on a wide spectrum of highly topical areas in current pharmaceutical and pharmalogical research. Each volume contains fully cross-referencing indexes which link the volumes together, forming a virtually encyclopaedic work. The series thus serves as an important, time-saving source of information for researchers concerned with drug research and all those who need to keep abreast of the many recent developments in the quest for new and better medicines. Volume 50 in the series includes: P.N. Kaul: Drug discovery: Past, present and future M. Rohmer: Isoprenoid biosynthesis via the mevalonate -- independent route, a novel target for antibacterial drugs G. Edwards and A.H. Weston: Endothelium, -derived hyperpolarizing factor -- a critical appraisal R.W. Rockhold: Glutamatic involvement in psychomotor stimulant action J.M. Colacino and K.A. Staschke: The identification and development of antiviral agents for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection T.D. Johnson: Polyamines and cerebral ischemia

Volume 31 of "Progress in Drug Research" contains 13 articles, a sub ject index, an index for all articles that have been published so far in this series of monographs, as well as an author and subject index for all 31 volumes. The reviews in this volume are particularly concerned with the therapy of helminth diseases, with pyramidinones as biody namic agents, and with quinolones which are of interest in the treat ment of infections. For a deeper understanding of the pharmacokinet ic actions of modem drugs, the articles on cooperative binding of drug molecules to DNA, on in vitro models for the study of antibiotic activi ties, on inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system, on GAB A-drug in teractions, and on the mechanism of action of anxiolytic drugs provide a wealth offacts and new findings. The pharmacology of caffeine is re viewed from the viewpoint of its role in combination with other phy siologically active substances, and the chapter on high resolution nuc lear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrates the importance of this method in the development of new drugs. Finally, the article on light and dark touches border problems of the therapy of psychic dis orders. With these contributions, the authors aim to summarize latest achieve ments in important and actual fields of drug research. Researchers who are actively engaged in the same or in similar fields of research are sure to benefit from these efforts.

In the first years of the existence of this series of monographs, during the so-called "Golden Age" of drug research, the majority of the pa pers published were mainly concerned with the traditional domains of drug research, namely chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and pre clinical investigations. The series' aim was to give coverage to impor tant areas of research, to introduce new active substances with thera peutic potential and to call attention to unsolved problems. This objective has not changed. The table of contents of the present volume makes evident, however, that the search for new medicines has become increasingly complex, and additional, new disciplines have entered the research arena. The series now includes reviews on bio chemical, biological, immunological, physiological and medicinal aspects of drug research. Researchers actively engaged in the various scientific fields forming the entity of drug research can benefit from the wealth of knowledge and experience of the respective authors, and will be assisted in their endeavour to discover new pharmaceutical agents. Those simply wanting to keep abreast of new developments in the complex, multi-discipline science can turn to the "Progress in Drug Research" volumes as an almost encyclopaedic source of information without having to consult the innumerable original publications. Volume 33 contains 13 reviews, a subject index, an index for the close to 400 articles published in the series so far, and an author and titles index for all 33 volumes.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was first identified in 1989 as the etiologic agent of non-A, non-B hepatitis [1] and is currently recognized as the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. In contrast to hepatitis B virus infection, in which only about 5% of adult infections become chronic, more than 80% of HCV-infected patients develop chronic hepatitis. Moreover, 20-50% of those persistently infected with HCV will develop liver cirrhosis and hepatocellu lar carcinoma (HCC) [2]. It is estimated that there are 10,000 deaths in the USA per year due to chronic liver failure or HCC [3]. In addition, HCV dis 25-50% of all liver transplants in US centers, and the ease is responsible for recurrence of HCV infection following liver transplantation is universal [4]. Typically, HCV disease emerges after a 10-20 year period during which symp toms, if they exist at all, are mild and non-specific. Although the prevalence varies greatly among different countries, it has been estimated that up to 170 million people (3% of the world's population), are infected with HCV [5]. A recent study in the USA found that 65% of all HCV-infected persons are 30 to 49 years old [6].

S. Ren and E.J. Lien: CaCo-2 cell permeability vs human gastrointestinal absorption: QSPR analysis.- J.C.G. Halford and J.E. Blundell: Pharmacology of appetite suppression.- B. Olivier, W. Soudijn and I. van Wijngaarden: Serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine transporters in the central nervous system and their inhibitors.- D. Poyner, H. Cox, M. Bushfield, J.M. Treherne and M.K. Demetrikopoulos: Neuropeptides in drug research.- M. Kumari and M.K. Ticku: Regulation of NMDA receptors by ethanol.- H. Horikoshi, T. Hashimoto and T. Fujiwara: Troglitazone and emerging glitazones: new avenues for potential therapeutic benefits beyond glycemic control.- Rosamund C. Smith and Simon J. Rhodes: Applications of developmental biology to medicine and animal agriculture

Volume 45 of "Progress in Drug Research" contains eight reviews and the various indexes which facilitate its use and establish the connection with the previous volumes. The articles in this volume deal with neuro peptides as native immune modulators, with Calmodulin and with effects of cell stimuli and drugs on cellular activation, with recent advances in benzodiazepine receptor binding studies, with the medicinal chemistry and therapeutic potentials of ligands of the histamine H3 receptor, with Serotonin uptake inhibitors, with computer-aided drug design, with natri uretic hormones and with the recent developments in the chemotherapy of osteoporosis. In the 36 years that PDR has existed, the Editor has enjoyed the valu able help and advice of many colleagues. Readers, the authors of the reviews and, last but not least, the reviewers have all contributed greatly to the success of this series. Although the comments received so far have generally been favorable, it is nevertheless necessary to analyze and to reassess the current position and the future direction of such a series of monographs. So far, it has been the Editor's intention to help disseminate information on the vast domain of drug research, and to provide the reader with a tool with which to keep abreast of the latest developments and trends. The reviews in PDR are useful to the nonspecialist, who can obtain an overview of a particular field of drug research in a relatively short time.

Founded in 1959 by its current Editor, the series has moved from its initial focus on medicinal chemistry to a much wider scope. Today it encompasses all fields concerned with the development of new therapeutic drugs and the elucidation of their mechanisms of action, reflecting the increasingly complex nature of modern drug research. Invited authors present their biological, chemical, biochemical, physiological, immunological, pharmaceutical, toxicological, pharmacological and clinical expertise in carefully written reviews and provide the newcomer and the specialist alike with an up-to-date comprehensive list of prime references. Each volume of Progress in Drug Research contains fully cross-referencing indices which link the books together, forming a virtually encyclopaedic work. The series thus serves as an important, time-saving source of information for researchers concerned with drug research and all those who need to keep abreast of the many recent developments in the quest for new and better medicines.