Medicinal Chemistry
Edited by Alfred Burger, University of Virginia, Charlottesville. 2nd edition. Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, 1960. xiii 1243 pp. Figs. and tables. 19 X 26 om. Trade edition, $37.50, college edition, $27.50.
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Medicinal chemistry is concerned with naturally-occurring and synthetic eampounds which mrty be used in medicine for the treatment of disease. This includes isolation, characterization, and determination of the structure of natural products, as well as the synthesis of clinioally useful drugs. Medicinal chemists are s1.w concerned with the biologioal mechanisms which explain the activity of drugs, and with attempts to relate molecular struoture to physiological activity. The science had its beginnings with the work of Paul Ehrlich, a t the end of the nineteenth century, but progress was relatively slow until World War 11. Since then tremendous strides have been made. These may be reflected in the enormous gain in l i e expectancy since 1940. Most of the progress in this field was described in specific monographs, until in 1951 the definitive survey of this field, by Alfred Burger, was published in two volumes. The present volume is the second edition of this earlier work. During the interval since the appearance of the first edition, 80 much has happened in the field that i t would have been extremely difficult for one man to review i t accurately. Burger is to be commended for his willingness t o share the honors of authorship, already his by right of the success of the first edition. with 34 co-
43 to 55 chapters, to include many new areas not even considered as medicinal
The second edition' retains the arganization of the first. The first nine chapters present a historical introduction and a broad theoretical background. Such subjects as "Response of Cells and Tissues to Drugs," by D. R. H. Gourley (Chapter 5), "Relation of Chemical Structure and Biological Activity," by Burger (Chapter 6), and "Meti&ohte Antagonism," by C. Kaiser (Chapter 9) serve to introduce the reader to the later special topics. These later chapters deal with special classes of dmgs, which are arranged according to their medicinal uses. The pharmacodynamic agents are discussed in Chapters 10 through 39. Chapter 10, by A. F. Wagner and Karl Folkers, deals with the Vitamins. Chapter 37. bv 8. B. Barker. Chanter 38. bv
chapters between cover the many synthetic drugs and natural pproduots acting on the various functions of the body. Chapter 40 offers an '(Introduction to Chemotherapy," by Alfred Burger. The fallpwing 13 chapters discuss the various agents used against invading organisms, including the "Chemotherapy of Neo-
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plastic Diseases" (Chapter 50) by Dean F. Gamble, Howard Bond, and Alfred Burger, and "Antiviral Dmgs" (Chapter 51) by R. G. Child. Chapter 54 concerns "Tracers in Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Studies," by Maxwell Gordon. This volume represents the most comprehensive coverage of the field of Medicinal Chemistry available in one cover: The text is clear and readable and many useful tables improve its use as a reference. The emphasis is on the organic chemistry of drugs, and the text is profusely illustrated by structural formulas, which are remarkably free from error, considering the enormous number involved. Although the book is addressed t o the more advanced reader, it provides a useful referenoe for any chemist. I t is especially useful in tracing any specific drug, and determining its structure or chemical name from its proprietary or generic name.
"We will really approach the understanding of life v-hen all structures and functions, all levels, from the electronic t o the supramolecular, d l merge into one single unit. Until then our distinguishing between structure and function, classic chemical reactions and quantum mechanics, or the s u b and supramolecular, only shows the limited nature of our approach and understanding." SIDNEYW. FOX The Florida Slate University Tallahassee
A Structure of Science
Joseph H. Sintons. Philosophical Library, Inc., New York, 1960. x 269 pp. 15 X 22 em. $4.75.
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I n the preface, the author indicates he is a very modest person. He declares E . CAMPAIGNE that the whole book is an experiment. Indiana University There is no list of references, because Rlomnington '%he author feels incompetent to provide a n adequate one," and he "may misquote or s t least misinterpret the valued subject mstter." There is no index. The book is divided into three parts. lntroduetion to a Submolecular Biology Part 1 attempts to explain the nature of science and scientists, and the interaction Albert Szat-Gy&gyi, Institute for Musof science u-ith other areas of human cle Research a t the Marine Biological knowledge and experience. The author's Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massaehuphilosophy emerges as a belief that alsetts. Academic Press, h e . , New York, though seience is amoral, the philosophy 1960. x $ 135 pp. Figs. and tables. that stems from i t is essentially ethical; 14.5 X 22.5 cm. $5. although science can'only strive for the truth, science provides a way of life This book of 135 pages is recommended which is true and beautiful; although for those who wish to share the insights science has created problems in human of a mind which is recognized as one of relstionships, the on]" r a y out is the the most penetrating of our generation. utilization of more science. The chapter headings include Why Part 2 is essentially an elementary Suhmoleouler Biology?, The Energy Cycle qualitative description of some of the of Life, Units and Measures, Electronic concepts of science, such as force, energy, Mobility, Problems of Charge Transfer, inertia, plus some discussion of time and On the Mechanism of Drug Action, on space considered as abstractions. ATP, and On the Chemistry of the Part 3 opens with examples which the Thymus Gland. In the concluding author cites as evidence thst the philochapter on The Living State the author sophical interpretation of scientific theory presents many of his seasoned percontains many elements of disorder and spectives. The entire book focusses on and confusion. This section embodies the electronic level of biochemistry. the primary purpose of the book, by Among Szent-Gy6rgyi7s many talents presenting a number of speculations is the ability t o compress a large area of which the author hopes may lend to rethought into onear afew oolorful sentences solving some of the inconsistencies. which pentrates to the heart of the matter. He is very candid "4th his readers, A few of these follow. "Physics is the warning them that his speculations are seience of probabilities." "Biologv is the not to be dignified ar ~cientifiotheories, science of the improbable." "One of the or even hypotheses, but are to be conbasic principles of life is "organimtion" sidered as "only dreamed up relationships by which we mean that if two things are or postulations thst have eithpr stimulated put together something new is born, the thought or provided a feeling of greater qualities of which are not additive and satisfaction with the lawe of science!' can not be expressed in terms of the The lack of confidence engendered by qualities of the constituents." "What the author in his preface and the declared admits no doubt in my mind is that the lack of originality combine to make this Creator must have known a great deal of book unattractive reading. The style is wave mechanics and solid state physics, boresomely repetitious, frequently disand must have applied them. Certainly, organized, and spatted with irrelevancies. he did not limit himself to the molecular In fact, much of Part I is not connected level when shaping life just to make i t with the primary objective of the book as simpler for the biochemist!' "Research presented in Part 111. is rarely guided by logic. It is guided mostly by hunches, guesses, and intuition. All the same, once we get somewhere and Universily of San Francisco present our results, r e like to present San Fmneisco, California them as a logical sequence!' Appropriately, the closing lines are,
