Toxins In Drug Discovery And Pharmacology

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Toxins in Drug Discovery and Pharmacology" that was published in Toxins

Antidotes to Toxins and Drugs: From Natural Sources to Drug Discovery in Toxicology presents recent advances in the discovery of natural antidotes to toxins, drug intoxications and overdoses in pharmacology, drug discovery and toxicology. The text provides detailed information about toxins and their natural antidotes, along with the identification and screening of antidotes for drug intoxications and overdoses. Written by a global team of experts, it describes the potential uses of natural products in toxicology and their applications in medicine and in the pharmaceutical sciences. This book will be a key resource for drug developers, medicinal chemists and toxicologists, among others.Sections shine a particular focus on mechanisms of action, various principles in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics terms, and possible sources and synthesis techniques for these phytochemicals. Details recent advances in the discovery of natural antidotes from medicinal plants and phytochemicals Includes advances in the discovery of antidotes to drug intoxications and overdoses Describes modern screening assays for toxins and drug intoxications Features information on recent advances in toxicology

In recent years, the field of Toxinology has expanded substantially. On the one hand it studies venomous animals, plants and micro organisms in detail to understand their mode of action on targets. While on the other, it explores the biochemical composition, genomics and proteomics of toxins and venoms to understand their three interaction with life forms (especially humans), development of antidotes and exploring their pharmacological potential. Therefore, Toxinology has deep linkages with biochemistry, molecular biology, anatomy and pharmacology. In addition, there is a fast developing applied subfield, clinical toxinology, which deals with understanding and managing medical effects of toxins on human body. Given the huge impact of toxin-based deaths globally, and the potential of venom in generation of drugs for so-far incurable diseases (for example, Diabetes, Chronic Pain), the continued research and growth of the field is imminent. This has led to the growth of research in the area and the consequent scholarly output by way of publications in journals and books. Despite this ever growing body of literature within biomedical sciences, there is still no all-inclusive reference work available that collects all of the important biochemical, biomedical and clinical insights relating to Toxinology. The Handbook of Toxinology aims to address this gap and cover the field of Toxinology comprehensively.

Focusing on phytochemicals and their potential for drug discovery, this book offers a comprehensive resource on poisonous plants and their applications in chemistry and in pharmacology. Provides a comprehensive resource on phytotoxins, covering historical perspectives, modern applications, and their potential in drug discovery - Covers the mechanisms, benefits, risks and management protocols of phytotoxins in a scientific laboratory and the usefulness in drug discovery - Written and edited by leading researchers in phytochemistry, medicinal chemistry, analytical chemistry, toxicology, and more - Presents chapters in a carefully designed, clear order, making it an ideal resource for the academic researcher or the industry professional at any stage in their career Provides a comprehensive resource on phytotoxins, covering historical perspectives, modern applications, and their potential in drug discovery Covers the mechanisms, benefits, risks and management protocols of phytotoxins in a scientific laboratory and the usefulness in drug discovery Presents chapters in a carefully designed, clear order, making it an ideal resource for the academic researcher or the industry professional at any stage in their career

The pharmaceutical industry has become increasingly interested in biologics from animal venoms as a potential source for therapeutic agents in recent years, with a particularly emphasis on peptides. To date six drugs derived from venom peptides or proteins have been approved by the FDA, with nine further agents currently being investigated in clinical trials. In addition to these drugs in approved or advanced stages of development, many more peptides and proteins are being studied in varying stages of preclinical development. This unique book provides an up to date and comprehensive account of the potential of peptides and proteins from animal venoms as possible therapeutics. Topics covered include chemistry and structural biology of animal venoms, proteomic and transcriptomic approaches to drug discovery, bioassays, high-throughput screens and target identification, and reptile, scorpion, spider and cone snail venoms as a platform for drug development. Case studies are used to illustrate methods and successes and highlight issues surrounding administration and other important lessons that have been learnt from the development of approved therapeutics based on venoms. The first text to focus on this fascinating area and bridging an important gap, this book provides the reader with essential and current knowledge on this fast-developing area. Venoms to Drugs will find wide readership with researchers working in academia and industry working in all medicinal and pharmaceutical areas.

This book describes, with references to key source materials, the background to, and conduct of, the principal nonclinical studies that are central to drug development. The chapters provide an understanding of the key components of the preclinical phase of drug development with a hands-on description, with core chapters addressing study conduct, types, and reporting. As such, it is a practical guide through toxicology testing and an up-to-date reference on current issues, new developments, and future directions in toxicology. Opening with a practical description of toxicology and its role in the development of pharmaceuticals, the book proceeds to detail international regulations (including the impact of the new REACH standards for chemical safety), interdisciplinary interactions among scientists in drug development, steps in toxicity testing, and risk management. Further, the book covers the methods of genetic toxicology (assays, genomics, in vivo screening) as a complement to “traditional” toxicology in the risk assessment and risk management of pharmaceuticals.

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.

This book clearly highlights how the discovery of various toxins has contributed to significant advances in both medicine and science, such as in drug discovery. It provides broad coverage of a wide range of toxins derived from animals, bacteria and plants. Rather than a recapitulation of the characterization of the toxins or great detail about their actions, this book provides a look at the unique properties of toxins which lead to their utilization in major scientific discoveries.