Narahashi / Bianchi Advances in General and Cellular Pharmacology

Volume 1
Erscheinungsjahr 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4615-8198-7
Verlag: Springer US
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 252 Seiten, eBook

Knowledge of the mechanism of action of drugs at cellular, subcellular, or molecular levels is of vital importance not only in giving the basis of inter pretation of the systemic action of drugs but also in improving existing drugs; in designing new forms of drugs; and in giving the basis of therapeutic applications. Classical pharmacology, concerning the action of drugs at integrated levels, does not necessarily give sufficient information as to the mechanism of action of drugs. A variety of sophisticated concepts utilizing the methods of physics, chemistry, biophysics, biochemistry, and physiology must be synthesized to understand the mechanism of action. Only since the last decade, however, have these techniques been fully applied to pharma cological investigations. It is of utmost importance to realize that a new dimension of pharmacological research has indeed emerged as a result of such a multidisciplinary approach; this approach is encompassed in general and cellular pharmacology. Such recent studies of drug actions have led to a number of important findings. Certain chemicals and drugs were found to possess highly specific actions on cellular functions, so that they are widely being used as powerful tools for the study of a variety of physiological and pharmacological prob lems. Our knowledge of the cellular mechanisms of drug action has provided the basis for interpreting the systemic effects of the drugs and insight into the molecular mechanism involved.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Narahashi, Toshio

Bianchi, C. Paul

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1 Cardiac Cellular Pharmacology: Automaticity in Cardiac Muscle—Its Alteration by Physical and Chemical Influences.- I. Automaticity in Heart Muscle.- II. Characteristics of the “Resting” Membrane in Cardiac Cells.- III. Membrane Currents which Underlie Spontaneous Phase 4 Depolarization in Automatic Cardiac Cells.- IV. Modification of Automaticity by Physical and Chemical Agents.- V. Summary.- References.- 2 Actions of Opiates and Their Antagonists on Cholinergic Transmission in the Guinea Pig Ileum.- I. Introduction.- II. Mechanism of Contractions Induced by Electrical Stimulation.- III. Procedure for Setting Up the Ileum.- IV. Determination of Opiate Potency.- V. Site of Blocking Action of Drugs.- VI. Activities of Opiates and Antagonists on the Ileum.- VII. Actions of Inhibitors of Prostaglandin Synthesis.- VIII. Mechanism of Opiate Effects on Cholinergic Transmission: Relation to the Prostaglandin System.- References.- 3 Pharmacology of Heart Cells During Ontogenesis.- I. Introduction.- II. Experimental Methods.- III. Cardiac Development.- IV. Modification of Electrical and Mechanical Activity of Embryo Hearts Produced by Drugs.- V. Summary.- References.- 4 Analysis of Dose—Response Relationships.- I. Some Comments on General Pharmacology.- II. Empirical Examination of Dose-Response Curves.- III. Kinetic Analysis of Dose-Response Curves.- IV. Mechanistic Analysis of the Dose-Response Relationship.- V. Summary.- References.- 5 Cellular Pharmacology of Ganglionic Transmission.- I. General Characteristics of Autonomic Ganglia.- II. Postsynaptic Receptor Sites.- III. Presynaptic Receptor Sites.- IV. Transmitter Liberation.- V. Some Specific Physiopharmacologic Characteristics of Postsynaptic Neuron Membrane.- References.