Preface
viiThere have been many changes in medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology
since the second edition of this book was published in 1988. Accordingly, it has
required extensive updating. This process was initiated in the Chemistry Department of
Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada where Dr. Nico van Gelder, an Adjunct Emeritus
Professor, introduced the now retired Thomas Nogrady to Donald Weaver, a medicinal
chemist and clinical neurologist. Together, Weaver and Nogrady undertook the chal-
lenge of updating this book. In this way the third edition of Medicinal Chemistrywas
started and the two authors have worked together to ensure a continuity in the style and
content that has made this book popular among students and researchers alike.
The areas of change in this new edition are many and varied. Since molecular modeling
has assumed an increasingly prominent role in drug discovery, we have expanded the
discussion of modeling techniques. Description of other new techniques such as high
throughput screening and applications of genomics in drug design have also been added.
In terms of medicinal chemistry applications, neuropharmacology has enjoyed many
advances in the past decade; much new information from this field has been included. In
concert with these advances, new therapies have been introduced for Alzheimer’s disease,
Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy – these new therapies are explicitly
discussed in the third edition. Emerging disorders like those of protein folding (e.g.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and other prion disorders) are also considered. Chapter 5 on
hormonal therapies has been thoroughly updated and re-organized. An entire new chapter on
the immune system has been added (chapter 6), reflecting the increased interest in thera-
peutic molecular manipulation of immunity. Emerging enzyme targets in drug design (e.g.
kinases, caspases) are discusses in this edition. Recent information on voltage-gated and
ligand-gated ion channels has also been incorporated. The sections on antihypertensive,
antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiarrhythmic, and anti-cancer agents, as well
as treatments for hyperlipidemia and for peptic ulcer, have been substantially expanded.
Despite these many changes, the overall structure and philosophy of the book remain
unchaged. Therapeutic agents are organized according to their targets – the conceptual