Essentials of Medical Pharmacology

Contents: I. General Pharmacological Principles: 1. Introduction, routes of drug administration. 2. Pharmacokinetics: membrane transport, absorption and distribution of drugs. 3. Pharmacokinetics: metabolism and excretion of drugs, kinetics of elimination. 4. Pharmacodynamics: mechanism of drug action; receptor pharmacology. 5. Aspects of pharmacotherapy; clinical pharmacology and drug development. 6. Adverse drug effects. II. Drugs acting on autonomic nervous system: Autonomic nervous system: general considerations. 7. Cholinergic system and drugs. 8. Anticholinergic drugs and drugs acting on autonomic Ganglia. 9. Andrenergic system and drugs. 10. Antiadrenergic drugs (Adrenergic receptor antagonists) and drugs for Glaucoma. III. Autacoids and related drugs: 11. Histamine and antihistaminics. 12. 5-Hydroxytryptamine, its antagonists and drug therapy of migraine. 13. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes (Eicosanoids) and Platelet Activating factor. 14. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and antipyretic-analgesics. 15. Antirheumatoid and antigout drugs. IV. Respiratory system drugs: 16. Drugs for cough and bronchial asthma. V. Hormones and related drugs: Introduction. 17. Anterior pituitary hormones. 18. Thyroid hormone and thyroid inhibitors. 19. Insulin, oral hypoglycaemic drugs and glucagon. 20. Corticosteroids. 21. Androgens and drugs for erectile dysfunction. 22. Estrogens, progestins and contraceptives. 23. Oxytocin and other drugs acting on uterus. 24. Drugs affecting calcium balance. VI. Drugs acting on Peripheral (somatic) nervous system: 25. Skeletal muscle relaxants. 26. Local anaesthetics. VII. Drugs acting on central nervous system: 27. General anaesthetics. 28. Ethyl and methyl alcohols. 29. Sedative-hypnotics. 30. Antiepileptic drugs. 31. Antiparkinsonian drugs. 32. Drugs used in mental illness: antipsychotic and antimanic drugs. 33. Drugs used in mental illness: antidepressant and antianxiety drugs. 34. Opioid analgesics and antagonists. 35. CNS stimulants and cognition enhancers. VIII. Cardiovascular Drugs: Cardiac electrophysiological considerations: 36. Drugs affecting renin-angiotensin system and plasma kinins. 37. Cardiac glycosides and drugs for heart failure. 38. Antiarrhythmic drugs. 39. Antianginal and other anti-ischaemic drugs. 40. Antihypertensive drugs. IX. Drugs acting on kidney: Relevant physiology of urine formation: 41. Diuretics. 42. Antidiuretics. X. Drugs affecting blood and blood formation: 43. Haematinics and erythropoietin. 44. Drugs affecting coagulation, bleeding and thrombosis. 45. Hypolipidaemic drugs and plasma expanders. XI. Gastrointestinal drugs: 46. Drugs for peptic ulcer. 47. Drugs for emesis, reflux and digestive disorders. 48. Drugs for constipation and diarrhoea. XII. Antimicrobial drugs: 49. Antimicrobial drugs: general considerations. 50. Sulfonamides, cotrimoxazole and quinolones. 51. Beta-Lactam antibiotics. 52. Tetracyclines and chloramphenicol (Broad-spectrum antibiotics). 53. Aminoglycoside antibiotics. 54. Macrolide, lincosamide, glycopeptide and other antibacterial antibiotics; urinary antiseptics. 55. Antitubercular drugs. 56. Antileprotic drugs. 57. Antifungal drugs. 58. Antiviral drugs. 59. Antimalarial drugs. 60. Antiamoebic and other antiprotozoal drugs. 61. Anthelmintic drugs. XIII. Chemotherapy of neoplastic diseases: 62. Anticancer drugs. XIV. Miscellaneous drugs: 63. Immunosuppressants, gene therapy. 64. Drugs acting on skin and mucous membranes. 65. Antiseptics, disinfectants and ectoparasiticides. 66. Chelating agents. 67. Vitamins. 68. Vaccines and sera. 69. Drug interactions. Selected references for further reading. Appendices: i. List of essential medicines. ii. Prescribing in pregnancy. iii. Drugs in breastfeeding. iv. Drugs and fixed dose combinations banned in India. Index.

"Essentials of Medical Pharmacology provides broad coverage from principles of drug action to basis of their therapeutic use and skill of rational selection of drugs. Mechanisms of drug action are explained in a simplified manner. Essential pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic and dosage form information is included to enable prescribing with understanding and confidence.

The earlier editions have been immensely popular among medical, dental, pharmacy students as well as medical practitioners in India and several other countries. The fifth edition has been published in Portuguese and the present edition is due to be translated in Spanish. Highlights of the sixth edition are:

Extensively revised and updated chapters to include recently introduced drugs, published information and therapeutic practices.
New chapter on aspects of therapeutics including principles of rational use of medicines, elements of evidence based medicine and process of new drug development.
Comprehensive chapter on drug interactions and an additional appendix on prescribing in pregnancy.
Latest therapeutic guidelines from eminent professional bodies, WHO, National Health Programmes in relevant areas.
Reinforcement of evidence based use of medicines by reference to results of credible drug trials.
Emphasis on the profile of diseases and drug use in India and other tropical countries.
A highly structured, systematic, user friendly and attractive layout with enriched illustrations."