1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910452086103321

Autore

Li Jie Jack

Titolo

Laughing gas, Viagra, and Lipitor [[electronic resource] ] : the human stories behind the drugs we use / / Jie Jack Li

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Oxford ; ; New York, : Oxford University Press, 2006

ISBN

0-19-756239-6

1-280-96578-9

0-19-534576-2

1-4294-2034-0

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (329 p.)

Collana

Oxford scholarship online

Disciplina

362.29/9

Soggetti

Drugs

Nitrous oxide

Sildenafil

Electronic books.

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Previously issued in print: 2006.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. 281-294) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Foreword; Contents; 1 Cancer Drugs: From Nitrogen Mustards to Gleevec; 2 Drugs to Kill Germs; 3 Cardiovascular Drugs: From Nitroglycerin to Lipitor; 4 Sex and Drugs; 5 Drugs of the Mind; 6 Diabetes Drugs; 7 Anesthetics; 8 Anti-Inflammatory Drugs; 9 Reflections; Appendix A: Chemical Structures; Appendix B: Trademarks of the Drugs; Bibliography; Index

Sommario/riassunto

The stories behind drug discovery are fascinating, full of human and scientific interest. This is a book on the history of drug discovery that highlights the intellectual splendor of discoverers as well as the human frailty associated with them. History is replete with examples of breakthrough medicines that have saved millions of lives. Ether as an anesthetic by Morton; penicillin as an antibiotic by Fleming; and insulin as an anti-diabetic by Banting are just a few examples. The discoverers of these medicines are doubtlessly benefactors to mankind - for instance, without penicillin, 75% of us probably would not be alive because some of our parents or grandparents would have succumbed to infections. The text is supplemented by many anecdotes, pictures



and postage stamps.