Preface

This book was written as a textbook for the second semester in a two-semester a course in medicinal chemistry that is taught in most pharmacy schools. It is preceded by the first edition, which was written for a one semester course and the second edition, which is for the first semester in a two semester course. They can be used in standard courses for pharmacy students and for students who are trying to get into medical, dental, pharmacy or graduate school. Moreover, people working in the pharmaceutical industry and doctors preparing for Medical Board Exams will also find it useful. The second edition discussed the fusion of traditional and western medicine and between systems thinking and reductionist thinking. This third edition contains chapters on personalized medicine and targeted drug discovery as well as the endocrine system that were not in the first edition. Unlike chapters in older books on medicinal chemistry, the chapter on the endocrine system talks about the alimentary tract and adipose tissues, which are now known to be secrete hormones. The importance of environmental toxins in autoimmune diseases is discussed. Practical advice is presented, especially when it helps illustrate an interdisciplinary approach and unexpected connections. The role of environmental toxins, such as bisphenol A (BPA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOAA) in autoimmune diseases is discussed. Also, there are many updates based on research that was published since the first edition. New drugs have been approved and personalized medicine has benefited from next generation DNA sequencing methods. Also, three-dimensional printing was used to make a bioresorbable tracheal splint for an infant who was critically ill. So, advances in genomics, medical imaging, 3-D printing and regenerative medicine, along with increased computational power and the advent of mobile and wireless capabilities are allowing patients to be treated and monitored in ways that better meet their individual needs. There are also descriptions of the basic science behind cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, infectious diseases, inflammation, reproductive medicine, the biology of information flow, the nervous system, immune network, vaccines, autopoiesis, systems biology and network theory. Finally, this and the topics discussed in it should not be taken as reflecting FDA policy or regulations.