Though their usage greatly diminished at the dawn of the scientific area, Indian spices were traditional parts of healthcare for thousands of years. However, over the last decade, largely due to the growth in popularity of complementary and alternative medicine, spices have regained attention due to their physiological and functional benefits. By applying modern research methods to traditional remedies, it is possible to discover what made these spices such effective ailment treatments. Ethnopharmacological Investigation of Indian Spices is a collection of innovative research that analyzes the chemical properties and medical benefits of Indian spices in order to design new therapeutic drugs and for possible utility in the food industry. The book specifically examines the phytochemistry and biosynthetic pathway of active constituents of Indian spices. Highlighting a wide range of topics including pharmacology, antioxidant activity, and anti-cancer research, this book is ideally designed for pharmacologists, pharmacists, physicians, nutritionists, botanists, biotechnicians, biochemists, researchers, academicians, and students at the graduate and post-graduate levels interested in alternative healthcare.

There are numerous excellent reviews on fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), but there are to date no hand-holding guides or protocols with which one can embark on this orthogonal approach to complement traditional high throughput screening methodologies. This "Methods in Enzymology" volume offers the tools, practical approaches, and hit-to-lead examples on how to conduct FBDD screens. The chapters in this volume cover methods that have proven to be successful in generating leads from fragments, including chapters on how to apply computational techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance, surface plasma resonance, thermal shift and binding assays, protein crystallography, and medicinal chemistry in FBDD. Also elaborated by experienced researchers in FBDD are sample preparations of fragments, proteins, and GPCR as well as examples of how to generate leads from hits.

Offers the tools, practical approaches, and hit-to-lead examples on how to conduct FBDD screens The chapters in this volume cover methods that have proven to be successful in generating leads from fragments, including chapters on how to apply computational techniques, nuclear magnetic resonance, surface plasma resonance, thermal shift and binding assays, protein crystallography, and medicinal chemistry in FBDD

This book sheds new light on the development and use of quantitative models to describe the process of skin permeation. It critically reviews the development of quantitative predictive models of skin absorption and discusses key recommendations for model development. Topics presented include an introduction to skin physiology; the underlying theories of skin absorption; the physical laboratory-based processes used to generate skin absorption data, which is in turn used to construct mathematical models describing the skin permeation process; algorithms of skin permeability including quantitative structure-activity (or permeability) relationships (QSARs or QSPRs); relationships between permeability and molecular properties; the development of formulation-focused approaches to models of skin permeability prediction; the use of artificial membranes, e.g. polydimethylsiloxane as alternatives to mammalian skin; and lastly, the use of novel Machine Learning methods in developing the next generation of predictive skin permeability models. The book will be of interest to all researchers in academia and industry working in pharmaceutical discovery and development, as well as readers from the field of occupational exposure and risk assessment, especially those whose work involves agrochemicals, bulk chemicals and cosmetics.

In the last decade and a half, great progress has been made in the development of concepts and models for mixture toxicity, both in human and environmental toxicology. However, due to their different protection goals, developments have often progressed in parallel but with little integration. Arguably the first book to clearly link ecotoxicology and classic human toxicology, Mixture Toxicity: Linking Approaches from Ecological and Human Toxicology incorporates extensive reviews of exposure to toxicants, toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics, toxicity of mixtures, and risk assessment. The book examines developments in both fields, compares and contrasts their current state of the art, and identifies where one field can learn from the other. Each chapter provides an essential overview of the state of the art in both human and ecotoxicological mixture risk assessment, focusing on the work published in the last fifteen years. The coverage progresses from exposure to risk assessment, at each step identifying the special complications typically raised by mixtures. Based on in-depth discussions among specialists representing different disciplines and approaches, the chapters each address: Exposure - how to quantify the amounts of chemicals that may enter the living organism Kinetics, dynamics, and metabolism - how the chemicals enter an organism, travel within the organism, how they are metabolized and reach the target site, and explain development of toxicity with time Toxicity - what are the chemicals' detrimental effects on the organism Test design and complex mixture characterization - how chemicals interact, how to measure effects of mixtures, and how to identify responsible chemicals Risk assessment - how to assess for risks in humans and the environment An unusual combination of different points of view on exposure to and risk assessment of chemical mixtures, this book summarizes current knowledge on combined effects of toxicant mixtures, information that is generally only available in a very fragmented form as individual journal papers. It identifies possible crosslinks and includes recommendations for mutual developments that can improve the state of knowledge on mixture toxicity and ultimately lead to better and more integrated risk assessment.

Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) represent predictive models derived from the application of statistical tools correlating biological activity or other properties of chemicals with descriptors representative of molecular structure and/or property. Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships in Drug Design, Predictive Toxicology, and Risk Assessment discusses recent advancements in the field of QSARs with special reference to their application in drug development, predictive toxicology, and chemical risk analysis. Focusing on emerging research in the field, this book is an ideal reference source for industry professionals, students, and academicians in the fields of medicinal chemistry and toxicology.

This book is meant to provide a complete overview of the research of HPV and its connection to cervical cancer.

The growing area of peptide and protein therapeutics research is of paramount importance to medical application and advancement. A needed reference for entry level researchers and researchers working in interdisciplinary / collaborative projects, Peptide and Protein Delivery addresses the current and emerging routes for delivery of therapeutics. Covering cerebral delivery, pulmonary delivery, transdermal delivery, intestinal delivery, ocular delivery, parenteral delivery, and nasal delivery, this resource offers an overview of the main routes in therapeutics. Researchers across biochemistry, pharmaceutical, molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, chemistry and biotechnology fields will find this publication invaluable for peptide and protein laboratory research.
Discusses the most recent data, ideas and conceptsPresents case studies and an industrial perspectiveDetails information from the molecular level to bioprocessingThought provoking, for the novice to the specialistTimely, for today's biopharmaceuticals market

Exposure to ambient air pollutants, both indoors and outdoors has been associated with the exacerbation and also in the etiology of diverse human diseases. This book offers an overview of our current understanding of air pollution health risks and how this knowledge is being used in the regulatory, therapeutic intervention measures to protect the public health and reduce the disease burden caused by acute and long-term exposure to air pollutants. Air Pollution and Health Effects provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of air pollution health risks, morbidity and the global disease burden, whilst also delivering critical review on state of the art research so as to gain a fundamental understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in the etiology of air pollution-induced diseases. Chapters range from pregnancy outcomes and pre-term birth, carcinogens in the ambient aerosol and the health consequences of indoor biomass burning. Special emphasis is placed on regional and local air pollution and its impact on global health along with suitable preventive and interventional measures. With contributions from international experts in the field this volume is a valuable guide for researchers and clinicians in toxicology, medicine and public health as well as industry and government regulatory scientists involved in health protection.

Cardiovascular disease remains a major cause of death and disability in developed countries and, increasingly so, in the developing world.Presented in this volume of Advances in Pharmacology are some of the most promising possibilities for treating large numbers of individuals afflicted with these conditions

This volume contains up-to-date reviews of the most important emerging cardiovascular therapies written by world leaders in the field."

This volume presents 30 state-of-the-art protocols and reviews to set up and apply primary hepatocyte cultures for research and screening purposes. The first part of the book focuses on the use of these particular liver-based in vitro models to study the different aspects of the hepatocyte life cycle, including cell growth, differentiation and cell death. The second part of the book is targeted towards the demonstration of the applicability of primary hepatocyte cultures, or liver-based in vitro models derived thereof, for functionality and toxicity testing. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Protocols In In-Vitro Hepatocyte Research is intended for basic and applied researchers in the area of pharmacology and toxicology, both in academic and industrial settings.

This is the ideal book for anyone contemplating starting a career in, or shifting their career to, studying the dynamics that drive cancer progression and its response to therapy. Topics include the theory and population genetics of cancers, genetic diversity within tumors (intra-tumor heterogeneity), understanding how mutant clones expand in tissues, the role of cancer stem cells in the dynamics of tumors, the evolution of metastasis, and how to improve cancer therapy by addressing the evolution of cancers in response to our interventions. There are also chapters on the patterns of cancer susceptibility in humans due to a mismatch between our modern environment and the environment in which our ancestors evolved, as well as a chapter on the evolution of cancer suppression mechanisms that have evolved in different species, particularly the large long-lived animals like elephants and whales that are better at suppressing cancers than humans. This book serves as a primer on the evolutionary and ecological theory of cancer- the framework upon which all the details of cancer may be hung. It is ideal for oncologists and cancer researchers interested in evolutionary theory, and evolutionary biologists and ecologists interested in gaining insights into cancer development and prevention.

"Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry "provides timely and critical reviews of important topics in medicinal chemistry together with an emphasis on emerging topics in the biological sciences, which are expected to provide the basis for entirely new future therapies.
* Covers findings related to cardiovascular, inflammation, and pulmonary diseases
* Examines issues in oncology, from mTor inhibitors to drug targets
* Incorporates up-to-date information on drug design and discovery, including delivery to market

The serotonin 5-HT6 receptor represents a novel pharmacological target whose impact on physiopathology of CNS functions remains undetermined. Some receptor antagonists have been synthesized and they show a modulatory role in learning and memory processes and food intake. The pharmacology of 5-HT6 receptor agonists is still under evaluation. However, both 5-HT6 antagonists and agonists seem to exert potential antidepressant activity. Recently, a second messenger system has been discovered. 5-HT6 receptor function is becoming more and more intriguing. Thus, the aim of the present book is to try to clarify the pharmacology of 5-HT6 receptors.

written by expert researchers covers all published literature to date in the field of 5-HT6 receptors

The book deals with various clinical aspects of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), which is a potent source for oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is critical for pathogenesis of diseases and CYP2E1 is a major contributor for oxidative stress. Several clinical disorders are associated with changes in regulation of CYP2E1 and the consequent abnormalities, which include alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic pancreatitis, carcinogenesis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, obesity, hepatitis C virus infection, reproductive organ toxicity, hepatocellular and cholestatic liver cirrhosis, inhibition of bone repair, cross- tolerance in smokers and people treated with nicotine, disorders of the central nervous system, changes in metabolism of protoxicants in the circulatory system and susceptibility to human papillomavirus infection. Hence, CYP2E1 emerges as a new and potent player in aggravating injury and furthering disease complications.

This volume gathers the latest exciting findings on ADP-ribosylation from renowned experts in the field. It includes ten chapters, organized into the following three thematic sections: * Evolution and detection of endogenous ADP-ribosylation * ADP-ribosylation by the ARTC family of ADP-ribosyltransferases (R-S-E ARTs) * ADP-ribosylation by the ARTD family of ADP-ribosyltransferases (H-Y-E ARTs) The book will provide readers a better understanding of ADP-ribosylating toxins and their endogenous relatives. This provides a basis for developing novel toxin-neutralizing drugs and drugs targeting endogenous ADP-ribosyltransferase relatives.

This monograph was assembled to honor Professor Norman Bowery and his work on the 30th anniversary of his discovery of the GABAB receptor. In the present volume, leading neuroscientists from academia and industry provide a perspective of current research, both basic and translational, in the discovery of drugs acting at the GABAB receptor. The topics covered provide a comprehensive review of the field and the current state of research in this area. Included are chapters on the chemistry of GABAB agonists and antagonists, on the genetics and molecular composition of the site, its regulation and trafficking, and its role in controlling cellular, autonomic, and behavioral function. There are also chapters describing the potential clinical utility of drugs regulating GABAB activity receptorin the areas of hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Down syndrome, depression, and substance abuse.

The information contained in this text will be of particular interest to neuroscientists in general and to neuropharmacologists in particular.
Articles written by leading investigators in the fieldInforms and updates on all the latest developments"

The brain is protected by the blood-brain barrier and this barrier prevents many drugs from entering the brain. This volume discusses various drug delivery and targeting strategies that are being developed to enhance the transport and distribution of drugs into the brain.

* Discusses new discoveries, approaches, and ideas * Contributions from leading scholars and industry experts * Reference guide for researchers involved in molecular biology and related fields

Cardiovascular disease remains a major cause of death and disability in developed countries and, increasingly so, in the developing world. Presented in this volume of Advances in Pharmacology are some of the most promising possibilities for treating large numbers of individuals afflicted with these conditions

This volume contains up-to-date reviews of the most important emerging cardiovascular therapies written by world leaders in the field.

This book will provide the latest advances in molecular and cellular biology for establishing the foundation of a complete understanding of the mechanisms of breast differentiation leading to cancer prevention. The authors are based on the epidemiological evidence indicating that early first full term pregnancy is a protective factor in human against breast cancer and they have used this paradigm and developed experimental systems in both in vivo and in vitro that have demonstrated mechanistically how the differentiation at the organ and cellular level takes place. This knowledge has provided the blueprint for developing better understanding of the basis of cancer prevention. The transcriptoma analysis of the breast of pre and post-menopausal women has established a genomic signature imprinted in the breast that differs according to the reproductive history of the woman showing that early first full term pregnancy reprogram the organ. This reprogramming takes place at the chromatin level by changing the transcriptional process. The modification of the transcriptional control is due to the expression of non coding RNA sequences and posttranscriptional control driven by the splicesome. The plasticity of the genome of the human breast make possible this reprogramming that is not only induced by the physiological process of pregnancy but by the use of hormones that mimic pregnancy without pregnancy. The author have established the basis of clinical trials for prevention and the discovery that short 15aa peptides of the chorionic gonadotropin hormone can be used in human breast cancer prevention based on preclinical and clinical data.

Following 50 years of glucocorticoid use in a clinical setting, an international body of expert scientists and physicians presents the most expansive survey of glucocorticoid pharmacology to date. This work traces the history of glucocorticoid biology from the seminal description of glucocorticoid insufficiency by Thomas Addison in the mid-19th century, up to current advances in elucidating the molecular basis of glucocorticoid action. Important discoveries are presented, as well as milestones in drug development, a survey of current clinical practice, and prospects for novel glucocorticoid-based therapeutics. Scientists and clinicians will appreciate the scope of this work, which is of special interest to workers in the fields of endocrinology, inflammation and autoimmune disease.