Neurochemistry in Clinical Application

This multiauthored book represents the proceedings of The International Neuropharmacology Symposium, held in November 1992 in Guangzhou, China. The contributors are experts in the fields of neuropharmacology, neurophysiology, and behavioral science. The purpose of this book is threefold: (1) to highlight complementary aspects of current research in basic pathopharmacology and neurophysiology across a broad range of common neurological disease categories, with approaches derived from roots in both Western and traditional Chinese Medicine; (2) to help bridge the gap between basic and clinical neurosciences; and (3) to promote interest in the study of herbal medicine and acupuncture at the level of basic mechanisms. These timely and interesting goals are met to a variable degree. Although targeted primarily for neuropharmacologists and neurophysiologists, this book will also be of interest to neuroscientists of a primarily clinical orientation, especially in the areas of neurodegenerative and neurobehavioral disorders. The contributors to this book represent a multifaceted array of established investigators who are actively engaged in research in their respective disciplines. The illustrations and tables in this book are clear and especially detailed with respect to the chemical structures and pharmacokinetics of selected classes of neuroactive compounds. The lists of references are, in general, thorough and well-selected. The excessive number of typographical errors in some of the chapters is often compensated by the interest generated by the material presented. The overall scope of this book is perhaps too broad in relation to the number and focus of the individual contributions, which span the areas of neurodegenerative diseases, depression, schizophrenia, stroke, epilepsy, and myasthenia. The collection of papers is therefore somewhat eclectic. Nevertheless, the multifactorial nature of the pathophysiology, pharmacology, and emerging therapeutic strategies in relation to Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease is covered thoroughly. For those readers interested in learning more about herbal medicine and electroacupuncture, there are several valuable chapters. In particular, the studies of cobra toxin and bungarotoxins in the characterization of nicotinic receptors, of the beneficial cardiovascular effects of ILEXONIN and HUATUO, of the anticonvulsant properties of TJ-960, of the potential neuroleptic properties of ( - )STEPHOLIDINE, and of the application of electroacupuncture as compared with tricyclic drugs in major depression, offer informative and provocative reading.