J.W. Gorrod - Böcker

Understanding the function and diseases of the nervous system with a view to treating problems effectively has long been a major concern of neurobiologists and clinicians. The recent rapid development of molecular biology investigatory techniques has facilitated major advances in this field and the aim of this book is to provide an up-to-date review of recent findings on neurological disorders with particular emphasis on how an understanding of molecular processes can contribute to an understanding of the aetiology and mechanisms of disease causation. An examination of normal function provides the basis for a discussion of dysfunction including the affects of pharmacological agents and toxic insults. The broad-ranging coverage includes: cell membranes and ionmotive systems; molecular biology of receptors; ion channels; metabolic aspects; magnetic resonance, spectroscopic and positron emission tomographic studies of neurological disorders; regulation of cerebral microcirculation; brain ischaemia and its treatment; and neurotoxicity and xenobiotic agents.Deriving from an international meeting held in Sasano, Bari, Italy in September 1989, which included a workshop on mitochondrial encephalomyopthies, and written by an international team of experts, this topical book provides a good combination of molecular and clinical information and a strong indication of the areas in which further research is needed. It should be a vital reference source for biochemists, molecular biologists, neurobiologists, pharmacologists and neurologists. This book should be of interest to research workers in biochemistry, molecular biology, neurobiology, pharmacology and clinicians in neurology and psychiatry.

This book provides for the first time a single comprehensive source of information on the analytical chemistry of nicotine and related alkaloids. The editors have brought together scientists from academia and the tobacco industry to describe the state-of-the-art of the chemistry and analytical methods for measurement of nicotine. Both the scope and detail of the book are impressive. Chapters describe the history, pharmacology and toxicology of nicotine, the biosynthesis of nicotine and other alkaloids in the tobacco plant, the general chemistry of nicotine and the analytical methodologies that have been used to measure nicotine and related alkaloids in biological specimens, in tobacco and pharmaceutical products and in tobacco smoke. There is also a comprehensive review of the chemistry and toxicology of nicotine-derived nitrosamines, an important class of tobacco carcinogens.

Nicotine is an alkaloid which is present, together with a number of minor alkaloids, in tobacco and a wide variety of other plants. The introduction of tobacco as a therapeutic agent against diverse pathologi­ cal and physiological conditions resulted in the widespread exposure of people to nicotine, and the subsequent recognition of the pleasurable effects of tobacco consumption. Tobacco may be used for pleasure by smoking it in pipes, cigars or cigarettes or by taking it in unsmoked form as oral and nasal tobacco snuff. Nonsmokers are exposed to nico­ tine through plant material and side-stream tobacco smoke. This means that in humans nicotine is always utilized in the presence of a very large variety of natural compounds or their pyrolysis products, depend­ ing on the route of administration. These compounds may modify the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of nicotine and hence alter the duration of its pharmacological action. In recent years the use of nicotine in chewing gum and cutaneous patches has been developed as an aid to smoking cessation. The toxic properties of nicotine make it useful as an insecticide, which has led to its use in agriculture and horticulture. It has also recently been recog­ nized that tobacco consumption may be beneficial in the prevention of Parkinson's disease or in alleviating inflammatory bowel syndrome. The above observations have continued to stimulate research into the mode of action of this relatively simple molecule.