Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology, and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous molecule which exerts a biochemical or physiological effect on the cell, tissue, organ, or organism. It is the science of drugs including their origin, composition, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use, and toxicology. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function. If substances have medicinal properties, they are considered pharmaceuticals.
Methylphenidate, sold under the brand names Ritalin and Concerta among others, is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant used medically to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and, to a lesser extent, narcolepsy. It is a primary medication for ADHD ; it may be taken by mouth or applied to the skin, and different formulations have varying durations of effect, commonly ranging from 2–4 hours. Methylphenidate's efficacy as a athletic performance enhancer, cognitive enhancer, aphrodisiac, and euphoriant is supported by research. However, the manner in which methylphenidate is used for these purposes can result in severe unintended side effects.
5-HT receptors, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors, or serotonin receptors, are a group of G protein-coupled receptor and ligand-gated ion channels found in the central and peripheral nervous systems. They mediate both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. The serotonin receptors are activated by the neurotransmitter serotonin, which acts as their natural ligand.
Buspirone, sold under the brand name Buspar, among others, is a medication primarily used to treat anxiety disorders, particularly generalized anxiety disorder. Benefits support its short-term use. It is taken orally, and takes two to six weeks to be fully effective.
Mianserin, sold under the brand name Tolvon among others, is an atypical antidepressant that is used primarily in the treatment of depression in Europe and elsewhere in the world. It is a tetracyclic antidepressant (TeCA). Mianserin is closely related to mirtazapine, both chemically and in terms of its actions and effects, although there are significant differences between the two drugs.
Xenobiotica is a peer-reviewed medical journal that publishes comprehensive research papers on all areas of xenobiotics. It is published by Informa plc and covers six main areas:
The British Journal of Pharmacology is a biweekly peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of experimental pharmacology. It is published for the British Pharmacological Society by Wiley-Blackwell. It was established in 1946 as the British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy. The journal obtained its current title in 1968.
Phytotherapy Research is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing original research papers, short communications, reviews, and letters on medicinal plant research. Key areas of interest are pharmacology, toxicology, and the clinical applications of herbs and natural products in medicine, from case histories to full clinical trials, including studies of herb-drug interactions and other aspects of the safety of herbal medicines. Papers concerned with the effects of common food ingredients and standardised plant extracts, including commercial products, are particularly relevant, as are mechanistic studies on isolated natural products.
CGP-7930 is a compound used in scientific research which acts as a positive allosteric modulator at the GABAB receptor. It has anxiolytic effects in animal studies, and has a synergistic effect with GABAB agonists such as baclofen and GHB, as well as reducing self-administration of alcoholic drinks and cocaine.
The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) is a scientific society founded in late 1908 by John Jacob Abel of Johns Hopkins University, with the aim of promoting the growth of pharmacological research. Many society members are researchers in basic and clinical pharmacology who help develop disease-fighting medications and therapeutics. ASPET is one of the constituent societies of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). The society's headquarters are in Rockville, MD. The current president is Michael F. Jarvis.
The European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by Springer Science+Business Media since 1968. It covers all aspects of clinical pharmacology and drug therapy in humans.
Clinical Cancer Research is a peer-reviewed medical journal on oncology, including the cellular and molecular characterization, prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of human cancer, medical and hematological oncology, radiation therapy, pediatric oncology, pathology, surgical oncology, and clinical genetics. The applications of the disciplines of pharmacology, immunology, cell biology, and molecular genetics to intervention in human cancer are also included. One of the main interests of Clinical Cancer Research is on clinical trials that evaluate new treatments together with research on pharmacology and molecular alterations or biomarkers that predict response or resistance to treatment. Another priority for Clinical Cancer Research is laboratory and animal studies of new drugs as well as molecule-targeted agents with the potential to lead to clinical trials, and studies of targetable mechanisms of oncogenesis, progression of the malignant phenotype, and metastatic disease. The journal is published by the American Association for Cancer Research.
The Journal of Psychopharmacology is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by SAGE Publications on behalf of the British Association for Psychopharmacology. It was established in 1987 and is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics. The editors-in-chief are David Nutt and Pierre Blier. The journal covers all aspects of psychopharmacology.
Gevotroline (WY-47,384) is an atypical antipsychotic with a tricyclic structure which was under development for the treatment of schizophrenia by Wyeth-Ayerst. It acts as a balanced, modest affinity D2 and 5-HT2 receptor antagonist and also possesses high affinity for the sigma receptor. It was well tolerated and showed efficacy in phase II clinical trials but was never marketed.
Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal covering human pharmacology and pharmacotherapy, published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, of which it is an official journal. It was established in 1981 under founding editor-in-chief Russel R. Miller. The second editor was Richard T. Scheife. The third and current editor is C. Lindsay DeVane. Initially published six times a year the journal has been a monthly since 1991.
European Neuropsychopharmacology is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Elsevier. It is the official journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology. It was established in November 1990 and covers clinical and basic research relevant to the effects of centrally acting agents in its broadest sense.
Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal which covers research on the nature, action, efficacy, and evaluation of therapeutics. The editor-in-chief is Piet van der Graaf. The journal was established in 1960 and is published by Wiley-Blackwell. It is an official journal of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal publishing review articles and original papers on all aspects of anti-infective therapy. The journal was established in 2003 and is published by Informa.
