Medication is widely used to support the human body to fight against infection and pain. In an era of pharmaceutical and medicinal challenges, we have all become more familiar with drug production and distribution. However, do we really know what happens before those drugs are distributed? What's the process behind drug discovery? How do our bodies interact with those chemicals?

An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry, 7th edition, offers a complete and accessible approach to this multidisciplinary field. Its student-friendly writing style makes this text an ideal tool for those coming to the subject for first time, but also for students looking to deepen their understanding.

The book guides students through understanding the principles of drug action targets in Part A, to how drugs interact at a molecular level with our organs to offer therapeutic value in Part B, and exploring drug design and discovery, as well as regulatory procedures in Part C. Offering a practical approach, Part D provides a deeper look at specific tools and techniques of medicinal chemistry, concluding with emerging topics including antibodies and anticancer agents in Part E.

From principles to practice, accompanied by examples and case studies emerging from current biomedical research, the book will equip students with a robust understanding of medicinal chemistry, to prepare them for future success.

The eBook offers a mobile experience and convenient access along with functionality tools, navigation features and links that offer extra learning support: Find the eBook on VitalSource.

1: Drugs and Drug Targets
2: Protein Structure and Function
3: Enzymes: Structure and Function
4: Receptors: Structure and Function
5: Receptors and Signal Transduction
6: Nucleic Acids: Structure and Function
7: Enzymes as Drug Targets
8: Receptors as Drug Targets
9: Nucleic Acids as Drug Targets
10: Miscellaneous Drug Targets
11: Pharmacokinetics and Related Topics
Case Study 1: Statins
12: Drug Discovery: Finding a Lead
13: Drug Design: Optimizing Target Interactions
14: Drug Design: Optimizing Access to the Target
15: Getting the Drug to Market
Case Study 2: The Design of ACE Inhibitors
Case Study 3: Artemisinin and Related Antimalarial Drugs
Case Study 4: The Design of Oxamni
Case Study 5: Fosfidomycin as an Antimalarial Agent
16: Combinatorial and Parallel Synthesis
17: In Silico Drug Design
18: Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships
Case Study 6:  De Novo Design of a Thymidylate Synthase Inhibitor
19: Antibacterial Agents
20: Antiviral Agents
21: Anticancer Agents
22: Protein Kinase Inhibitors as Anticancer Agents
23: Antibodies and Other Biologics
24: Cholinergics, Anticholinergics, and Anticholinestarases
25: Drugs Acting on the Adrenergic Nervous System
26: The Opioid Analgesics
27: Anti-Ulcer Agents
28: Cardiovascular Drugs
Case Study 7: Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Case Study 8: Design of a Novel Antidepressant
Case Study 9: The Design and Development Of Aliskiren
Case Study 10: Factor Xa Inhibitors
Case Study 11: Reversible Inhibitors of HCV NS-34A Protease

Graham L. Patrick, Associate Lecturer, University of the West of Scotland

Dr Graham L. Patrick gained his BSc Honours at Glasgow University, winning the McKay-Smith Prize for Chemistry. He completed his PhD with Professor Kirby and Professor Robins studying the biosynthesis of gliotoxin and related fungal metabolites. Following this, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry as a research chemist and radiochemist on a variety of projects that included topic areas such as opioids, antibacterial agents and antidepressants. His academic career has included positions at Leeds and Strathclyde Universities as well as the Australian National University. He joined the University of Paisley (now the University of the West of Scotland) in 1990, teaching medicinal chemistry and drug design. Currently, he is an Associate Lecturer with the Open University, an author of scientific textbooks and fiction, and an historical archivist.