Accessible and clear, this new International Edition of An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry is the ideal text for students encountering the subject for the first time. Complete coverage of the subject is augmented by extensive pedagogical support and opportunities for students to hone their problem solving skills. For many people, taking some form of medication is part of everyday life, whether for mild or severe illness, acute or chronic disease, to target infection or to relieve pain. However for most it remains a mystery as to what happens once the drug has been taken into the body: how do the drugs actually work? Furthermore, by what processes are new drugs discovered and brought to market?

An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry, International Edition, provides an accessible and comprehensive account of this fascinating multidisciplinary field. Assuming little prior knowledge, the text is ideal for those studying the subject for the first time. Part A of the book introduces the principles of drug action via targets such as receptors and enzymes. The book goes on to explore how drugs work at the molecular level (pharmacodynamics), and the processes involved in ensuring a drug meets its target (pharmacokinetics). Further sections cover the processes by which drugs are discovered and designed, and what has to happen before a drug can be made available to the public. The book concludes with a selection of current topics in medicinal chemistry, and a discussion of various key drug groups. The subject is brought to life throughout by engaging case studies highlighting particular drugs and the stories behind their discovery and development.

Table of contents

Drugs and drug targets: an overview


Part A - Drug Targets, Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics

Protein structure and function
Enzymes and enzyme inhibitors
Receptors, agonists and antagonists
Receptors and signal transduction
Nucleic acids as drug targets
Miscellaneous drug targets
Pharmacokinetics and related topics


Part B - Drug Discovery, Design, and Development

Drug discovery: finding a lead
Drug design: optimizing target interactions
Drug design: optimizing access to the target
Getting the drug to market


Part C - Selected Topics in Medicinal Chemistry

Cholinergics, anticholinergics, and anticholinesterases
Drugs acting on the adrenergic nervous system
Opioid analgesics
Antiulcer agents
Antibacterial agents
Antiviral agents
Anticancer agents


Part D - Tools of the Trade

Combinatorial synthesis
Computers in medicinal chemistry
Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR)