The Evolution of Drug Discovery: From Traditional Medicines to Modern DrugsThe discovery and use of medicines is just as fascinating a human scientific endeavor as space flight or the tracing of human evolution. It is also the everyday task of hundreds of thousands of pharmacists, pharmaceutical chemists and researchers worldwide. Based on his profound knowledge of past and present paradigms in the development of medicines, Enrique Ravina takes the reader from the very beginnings of pharmacology to the multibillion-dollar business it represents today. Recounting the often spectacular successes and failures of innovative drugs as well as the people who discovered them, he brings abstract science to life in anecdotal form. For anyone with a more than superficial interest in the science of drugs and all those interested in knowing how drugs have been developed, how they have reached us, and became part of our daily life. This book is beautifully illustrated, containing many rare and historical photographs of drugs and their discoverers, and abounds with references to the primary literature, listing seminal publications alongside more modern reviews for readers seeking further details. With a Foreword by Hugo Kubinyi |
Contents
Evolution of Drug Discovery | 1 |
The First Synthetic Drugs and the Birth of Chemotherapy | 23 |
From Traditional Medicines to Modern Drugs Enrique RaviƱa | 53 |
Antidepressant and Cyproheptadine and Related Drugs | 59 |
Drugs from Natural Products | 107 |
Warfarin and Acenocoumarol | 146 |
Camptothecin and Taxanes | 155 |
Therapeutic Arsenal | 305 |
Rationalizing the Drug Discovery Process | 313 |
Histamine Receptors H2 Antihistamines | 351 |
StructureBased Drug Discovery | 405 |
Biopharmaceuticals | 441 |
PEGylation | 458 |
467 | |
Common terms and phrases
acetate activity agents agonist alkaloids amino acids analgesic analogs angiotensin Annu antagonists antibacterial antibiotics antibodies antihelmintic antimalarial antitumor antiviral bacteria Bayer biological biosynthesis cancer cell cephalosporin CH3 CH3 CH3 H Chem chemical chemists cholesterol Cinchona clinical compounds COOH cortisone derivatives developed discovered disease diuretic doses Drug Discovery Drugs Future enzyme ester estrogen extracts Figure fragment gastric gene H CH3 H3CO heparin hormone human infections inhibition inhibitors insulin isolated kinase Laboratories later marketed Medicinal Chemistry Merck Merck & Co metabolic metabolite methyl microorganisms molecule morphine Nobel obtained OCH3 OH OH oral oxidation paclitaxel patients penicillin peptide pharmaceutical company Pharmacology platelet potent prepared produced Professor Prontosil prostaglandins protease protein quinine receptors recombinant renin result Schering side chain side effects sodium Spain steroid Streptomyces structure studied sulfanilamide sulfonamides synthesis target therapeutic therapy thrombin toxic treatment University vaccine viral virus vitamin