Advances in Pharmacology. Volume 4. Edited by S I L Y I ~ G A R R ~ T T Iand X I PARKHURST A. SHORE.Academic Press Inc., S e w York and London. 1966. viii 390 pp. 23.5 X 16 cm. 816.00.
section on animal products of use i n medicine hold promilleiit places i n the descriptive sections. The level of presentation wings from one for heginners to pages which are complex and have to he read over to be grasped.
This voliime contains five review covering the literatiire through 1965, i.e., Hyrioterisive Peptides: bradykinin, kallidin. and eledoisin, hv E. G. ErdGs: Ilrirosliric l h i g s , with special i,eferenre t,o probeirecid and ,s\dfinpyrazolie, by A. B. Giitman : Synthetic Aiitiiriflanlniator?r Ilriigs: coiicepts of their mode of action, by R.Ihmeiijoz: Biocahemistry of I)r\ig Oxidation and Rediiction hy enzymes in hepatic endoplaimic ret,ic~liliim,by J. R.Gillette: and Experimental and Clinical Chemoteratogenesis, by R.L. Cahen. h l l theye topics are treated in depth and their scope, biochemicdly oriented, goes well be>-oiid t,hat of other reviews on the same sltbjects. Even the moat biologically bia*ed article oil teratogenesis makes good and iriiderstandable readiiig for chemists. Indeed, it is the first siirvey o i i teratogenesis this reviewer has seen which disciisses the field, its history, and its ciiit!ook dispawionately and qliotes references accurately, giving caredit to scientific findings and deleting joiunalistic and administrative implications. The editors have carefiilly checked chemical nomenclatiire and formiilas whirh so often are ti,eated loosely by hiologisti. Aiithors and sithject iiideses ai'e excelleiit and remarkably fi,ee of err01.s.
~ r N I V E R S I I ' YO F V l R G I S I A
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ALFRED B U R G E R
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGISLI
Advances in Alicyclic Chemistry. Volume 1. Edited by H.IROLD HARTaiid C. J . K.\R.ARITSOS, Department of Chemistry, JIichigan State Vniversity. East Lansing, IIichigaii. Arademic Press Inc., New \-(irk, N. T. 1966. x 395 pp. 16 X 23.5 em. 816.50.
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This sei,ies i s intended 1y , its editors to serve research workers orgaiiic chemistry with critical reviews of topics of current interest presented within the general framework of alicyclic chemistry. The series will, however, be of value to all, in that the results of research efforts i n thih ai'ea achieve currency iii such diverse fields ap iiatural product?, organic photochemistry, conformational and strain effects o n reaction rates, and the nature of carbon hondiiig orbital hvbridizatioli. T'rrlume 1 coiisists of five chaptws which vary i n length from 26 pages (Photochemistry of TlYipohIies hy K. F. Koch) to 126 ALFREDBi-RGER pages (Cyclohesadieiicinrq hy .4.J. Waring). The other three T7NIVERSITY O F T*IRGIKI \ rhapters, ISicyclo[n.l .l]alkanes and Related Tricyclic Systems C H \RI.OTTESVILI~E, T71RGISI.I hy J. 11eiiiwald aiid T.C. lleiirwald (50 pages), Cyclopropenes hy G. L. Closr (78 page-), aiid Bridgehead Reactivity by R. C. Fort, Jr., aiid P. von R. Hchleyer ( 8 i pages), are the hest i n the book. These chaptew are significant contributions to the literDrug Abuse: Escape to Nowhere. A Guide for Educators. ature of organic chemistry i i i that the authors not only have Published by Smith Kline and French Laboratories, Philacoordinated and pi,eseiited the facts in a cohereiit fashion hut delphia, Pa., for the Sational Education Association, Washhave offered origiiial sug tionr regardiiig their interpretation. ington, T).C. 1967. 104 pp a drug abuse reference rhai,t. Koch suffers from the restrictioiis The chapter kiy Profe. 1 5 X 23 rm. Papehack, $2.00. imposed on its coiiteiit. .4s :i result, much of the material is ronceriied with structure proof of the photoproducts and inRealizing the increasing spread of the ahuse of p cludes at oiie point duplicate preseiitatioii, tmth i r i narrat,ive aiid cwlogical pure aiid botanical drugs especially among young people, tabular form, of some rather straightforward nmr spectra. I I I a leading manufacturer of amphetamines arid barbiturates has the reviewei,'s opinioii this topic' would better be included either published this sniall book as a guide for teachers, educators, and as part of a general treatmelit of tropoloiie chemistry or of couiisellors who might turn their yourig wards back from a path of photochemistry of medium-ring ketones. mental and the ofteii ensuing criminal consequences of their drug This i s an excellent first volume i i i what promises to be a11 habits. The book traces the history of drug abuse, addiction, excellent series. The relatively high cost may limit its distriand habituation. It recommends methods of rehabilitation and hution to libraries and researchers actively participating in some I herapy and shows how the educator can deal with the drug abuser of the fields reviewed, hut it should be widely read hp all organic at differeiit age levels and identify him. Even a glossary of slang chemists because of the fundamental nature of many of the terms is included. The drug abuse reference chart, should simcoiicepts which it rovers. The chapter by Professors Fort and plify many tasks of the educator and give him an understaiidiiig Schleyer in particular should be required reading for students of the underlying problems of the victim of drug abuse. studying organic reaction mechanisms at the advaiiceti uuderLTNITERSITY OF VIRCISIA ALFREDBURGER graduate and graduate level. iii
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CHIRLOTTEJVILLE, VIRCIXIA
FR.ASCI~ A. C ~ R E Y
n E P . I R T X E X T OF CHEErlISTRY
USIYERSITY O F VIRGINI CH.ARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGISIA Two S e w B(i(~ksO I I the Studies of Plants and Plalit Product>: 1. Useful Plants of Brazil. By Tv.lLTER B. MORSand CARLOS T. RIZZINI. Holden-Day Inc., San Francisco, Calif. 1966. siii 166 pp. 14.8 X 23.5 cm. 810.00. 2. A Textbook of Pharmacognosy. By G. E. TREASE and JT.C. Ev 9th ed, RailliPre, Tindall aiid Cawell, Jmndon. 1966. viii 821 pp. 14..5 X 21.5 cm. S14.50.
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The chemist with a n iiiteiwt i n kiotaiiical drugs will fiiid both of there hooks iiseful. 13oth give a11 historical hackground of their stated purpose, ofi'er help i i i taxonomy mid botanical iiomeiiclatrire, a i i d carry ertelisive dmrriptive material on the plants and their prore-siiig. T h e -mall boo o i i Hi,axiliaii plaiitz cla..sifies the hioclimatir c o i i d i t i r i i i s of that uiiiry mid relates them to the 1iahit:tr of its ecciiiomic plaiits. iiive i i o t till ecolioniic plant-: coiitairi materials useful i n rnedi le, oiily a limited amouiit of the information in this book is of direct interest to readers of this journal. Nevertheless, one's view will be broadened by learning about the rubber tree, dye plants, arid useful and ornamental woods. The texttiook by 'l'reahe a ~ Evalis, ~ d i l l this 9th editioli, ha.. placed nioi'e ernpharin O I I phytoc.heriiirt r>-,biosyiithet ic pathway> of niediciiial plant ducts, modern methods of isolation :tiid assay, aiid the aiial, of these substaiices. The cultivatioii of medioinal plants, plant genetics, vegetable drugs, and a short
Russian Drug Index. Edited by S,r.xNLEY JABLONSKI.?lid, ed. U. S. Department, of Health, Education and JVelfare Superintendent of Documents, I:. S. Govt. Printiiig Office, Washington, TI. C. 20403. i i i 484 pp. 21.5 X 28 cm. Paperhack, Y2.25.
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De.pite the iiicreased effoi,t- hy the Nroi~ldHealth Organization to report adverse drug reactioiis and the development of informatems, marly difficulties t o which the first edition )rug Index addressed ithelf still i,eniaiii. Terminology of ciwie (inips aiid mixture-: hap iiot beeii staiidardized adequately, and lniiguage barriers have esteiided this problem to vhemical rompourids as well. Too few Americaii scieiitists are familiar with the Russiaii laiiguage, aiid those who are fiiid a lavk of access to original literature sources. The present volume tries to help us in the field of drugs to overcome some of these problems. There are 1800 main entries, and 3700 cross-references to synonyms. Structural formulas have heeii 3tariditrdized a i d Chemical db.rtrac/n ric1iiieric:lstui.e has h e i i iii t I Y J ~ U ~ W I . There are three maiii sectioiis. The Ilriig Index arraiiges the main euti,iea under the AI] Russian names, ayrioiiymh aiid code names, transliterated I names:. trivial aiid proprietary
