Many breast tumours are dependent upon oestrogen for their development and continued growth. Over the last 25 years hormone therapy has progressed from the irreversible destruction of endocrine glands to the use of drugs that reversibly suppress oestrogen synthesis or action. The inhibition of oestrogen synthesis is most readily achieved by inhibiting the final step in the pathway of oestrogen biosynthesis, the reaction which transforms androgens into oestrogens by creating an aromatic ring in the steroid molecule (hence the enzyme's trivial name, aromatase).
Whereas the first aromatase inhibitors to be used therapeutically could be shown to produce drug-induced inhibition of the enzyme and therapeutic benefits in patients with breast cancer, they were not particularly potent and lacked specificity. However, second-generation drugs were developed and most recently third-generation inhibitors have evolved which possess remarkable specificity and potency. Initial results from clinical trials suggest that these agents will become the cornerstones of future endocrine therapy.

More than a simple survey of the current literature, Advances in Photochemistry offers critical evaluations written by internationally recognized experts. These pioneering scientists offer unique and varied points of view of the existing data. Their articles are challenging as well as provocative and are intended to stimulate discussion, promote further research, and encourage new developments in the field.

In recent years, cannabis research has concentrated on the potential of cannabinoids as therapeutic substances, particularly in serious chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis. Most volumes published on cannabinoids so far concentrate on the biological activity, biochemistry and pharmacology, whereas this volume concentrates on the diseases, the physiological effects and therapeutic use of cannabinoids. The volume editor Prof. Mechoulam was the first who isolated the prime active constituent (THC, Tetrahydrocannabiol) of marijuana. He published extensively on the pharmacological activities of cannabinoids. The volume is of interest to researchers and clinicians from pharmacology, neuroscience, and medicinal research.

The first authoritative overview of past and current strategies for successful drug development by analog generation, this unique resource spans all important drug classes and all major therapeutic fields, including histamine antagonists, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, opioids, quinolone antibiotics, steroids and anticancer platinum compounds. Of the 19 analog classes presented in detail, 9 are described by the scientists who discoverd them. The book includes a table of the most successful drug analogs as based on the IMS ranking and compares them in terms of chemical structure, mode of action and patentability.

This is a fascinating introduction to the topic. Spanning the spectrum of nucleic acid chemistry, carbohydrates, peptides, molecular recognition, biosynthesis and natural biosynthesis, right up to medical and biophysical chemistry, the book provides advanced students and those already working in the field with a balanced overview.

This interdisciplinary approach combines the chemistry and engineering involved to describe the conception and improvement of chromatographic processes. The book covers recent developments in preparative chromatographic processes for the separation of "smaller" molecules using standard laboratory equipment as well as the detailed conception of industrial chemical plants.
Following an introductory section on the history of chromatography, the current state of research and the design of chromatographic processes, the book goes on to define the general terminology. There then follow sections on solid materials and packed columns process concepts. Final chapters on modeling and determination of model parameters, the design and optimization of preparative chromatographic processes and chromatographic reactors allow for the optimum selection of chromatographic systems. Essential for chemists and engineers working in the chemicals and pharmaceutical industries as well as for food technologies, due to the interdisciplinary nature of these processes.

When considering the biological significance and industrial and medical applications of biopolymers, it is crucial to know details of their secondary structure, dynamics and assembly. The biopolymers include globular, membrane and fibrous proteins, polypeptides, nucleic acids, polysaccharides and lipids. Solid state NMR spectroscopy has proved to be the most suitable and unrivaled means for investigations of biopolymers. The major advantage of solid state NMR spectroscopy is that the resulting line widths can be manipulated experimentally and are not influenced by motional fluctuation of proteins under consideration as a whole. Solid State NMR Spectroscopy for Biopolymers: Principles and Applications provides a comprehensive account on how the conformation and dynamics of such biopolymers can be revealed by solid state NMR spectroscopy. Special efforts have been made towards the historical and chronological consequences of a variety of applications and the dynamic aspects of the biopolymer system. In particular, the authors emphasise how important it is to record the most simple DD-MAS (one pulse excitation with high power decoupling) as a mean of locating very flexible portions of membrane proteins and membrane associated peptides. The authors also demonstrate that dynamic features of membrane proteins with a timescale of fast (108 Hz) and intermediate (104 -105 Hz) fluctuation motions can be revealed easily by specific suppression of peaks.

ESSENTIAL NMR is a set of lecture notes for scientists and engineers who want to brush up on their knowledge of NMR. This book is also a compendium for graduate and postgraduate students of physics and chemistry as well as for their teachers, covering all fields of NMR, i.e. NMR methodology and hardware, chemical analysis, 2D-spectroscopy, NMR imaging, flow NMR, and quality control NMR. The material, selected and organized for a one-semester course, is presented with pairs of pages addressing particular topics. One page of each pair provides a text containing the key information, the other page shows a color illustration. This is the most comprehensive textbook on NMR to date. The book is intended for beginning graduate students and doctoral students of Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Material Science.

The bestselling first edition of Textbook of Receptor Pharmacology originated from a renowned course in receptor pharmacology taught at the University College of London for the past three decades. Its innovative format united four major approaches to the study of receptors: molecular biology, quantitative functional studies of agonists and antagonists, ligand binding, and signal transduction systems. The second edition builds on this foundation. This edition streamlines the material and focuses on cell membrane receptors along with their immediate signal transducers. The section on the molecular structure of receptors reflects the advances in this area. This edition also includes two restructured new chapters, one on G-proteins and one on tyrosine kinases, as signal transductors. Several chapters also contain problems for students to solve as well as worked-out solutions. The book contains over one hundred useful diagrams and tables to aid illustration of concepts and a helpful appendix explaining the simple mathematics used in the text. A time-saving resource and comprehensive textbook, Textbook of Receptor Pharmacology, Second Edition provides in-depth, up-to-date coverage of this still rapidly expanding research area that is both fundamental to the science of pharmacology and on the cutting edge of new drug development.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has made quantum leaps in the last decade, becoming a staple tool in such divergent fields as chemistry, physics, materials science, biology, and medicine. That is why it is essential that scientists working in these areas be fully conversant with current NMR theory and practice. This down-to-basics text offers a comprehensive, up-to-date treatment of the fundamentals of NMR spectroscopy. Using a straightforward approach that develops all concepts from a rudimentary level without using heavy mathematics, it gives readers the knowledge they need to solve any molecular structure problem from a complete set of NMR data. Topics are illustrated throughout with hundreds of figures and actual spectra. Chapter-end summaries and review problems with answers are included to help reinforce and test understanding of key material. From NMR studies of biologically important molecules to magnetic resonance imaging, this book serves as an excellent all-around primer on NMR spectroscopic analysis.

This book describes a powerful and effective tool for the molecular biologist researcher. Readers will discover how DNA chromatography can be used in their own work. Intended as an introduction for the molecular biologist reader, this will also serve as a practical guide for the experienced user. The clear and concise writing style is also attractive to the chemist who wants to learn more about molecular biology.