Includes bibliographical references and index

Introduction / John H. Block and John M. Beale, Jr. -- Physicochemical properties in relation to biological action / John H. Block -- Combinatorial chemistry / Douglas R. Henry -- Metabolic changes of drugs and related organic compounds / Stephen J. Cutler and John H. Block -- Prodrugs and drug latentiation / Forrest T. Smith and C. Randall Clark -- Biotechnology and drug discovery / John M. Beale, Jr. -- Immunobiologicals / John M. Beale, Jr. -- Anti-infective agents / John M. Beale, Jr. -- Antimalarials / John H. block -- Antibacterial antibiotics / John M. Beale, Jr. -- Antiviral agents / John M. Beale, Jr. -- Antineoplastic agents / William A. Remers -- Agents for diagnostic imaging / Tim B. Hunter, T. Kent Walsh, Jack N. Hall

Central nervous system depressants / Eugene I. Isaacson -- Central nervous system stimulants / Eugene I. Isaacson -- Adrenergic agents / Rodney L. Johnson -- Cholinergic drugs and related agents / George H. Cocolas and Stephen J. Cutler -- Diuretics / Daniel A. Koechel -- Cardiovascular agents / Stephen J. Cutler and George H. Cocolas -- Local anesthetic agents / Gareth Thomas -- Histamine and antihistaminic agents / Thomas N. Riley and Jack DeRuiter -- Analgesic agents / Robert E. Willette -- Steroids and therapeutically related compounds / Philip J. Proteau -- Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and other eicosanoids / Thomas J. Holmes, Jr. -- Proteins, enzymes, and peptide hormones / Stephen J. Cutler and Horace G. Cutler -- Vitamins and related compounds / Gustavo R. Ortega, Michael J. Deimling, and Jaime N. Delgado -- An introduction to the medicinal chemistry of herbs / John M. Beale, Jr. -- Computational chemistry and computer assisted drug design J. Phillip Bowen

This textbook integrates the chemical and pharmaceutical principles necessary to understand structure-activity relationships and the molecular mechanisms of drug action. In 28 chapters, medicinal chemists, pharmacists, and other scientists discuss topics like combinatorial chemistry, biotechnology, immunobiologicals, anti- infective agents, antimalarials, antibiotics, antiviral agents, antineoplastic agents, diagnostic imaging, depressants, stimulants, adrenergic, diuretics, cardiovascular agents, local anesthetics, steroids, peptide hormones, vitamins, herbs, and computational chemistry and computer-assisted drug design