Inflammation has become one of the most exciting and rewarding areas of medical research. Recent years have seen a revolution in our understanding of how blood and tissue cells interact and of the intracellular mechanisms controlling their activation. This has revealed the underlying inflammatory pathology of many diseases and provided multiple new targets for anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory therapy. The Encyclopedia of Inflammatory Diseases will cover the following areas:

• Inflammatory Processes and Cells
• Inflammatory Diseases
• Mediators of Inflammation
• Pharmacology of Inflammation

Since inflammatory diseases and their therapy cover a broad range of scientific and medical fields, the encyclopedia will be co-edited by four international experts, a clinician and three researchers from the disciplines of immunology, biochemistry, and pharmacology, in this way providing students, basic and clinical scientists and practitioners in academia, hospitals and industry with valuable interlinked information.

This living project will serve as a reliable and comprehensive data pool for everybody working in inflammation research. Owing to its dynamic nature, it will grow with time and future editions, becoming an indispensible source of information for academia, clinical practitioners and industry.

Dipyrone is widely acknowledged to be an effective antipyretic analgesic with an additional intrinsic spasmolytic activity. It has stood the test of time over the last 75 years in many clinical settings throughout the world. Some 20 years ago, however, concern arose over the implications of isolat- ed reports of agranulocytosis following use of dipyrone. Based on these initial cases the Swedish authorities ordered the withdrawal of the drug from the market. Subsequently, dipyrone has been subjected to extensive comparative epidemiological and clinical studies. The results of these in- vestigations have allayed the earlier concerns and have shown dipyrone to be a versatile analgesic drug with an overall risk of serious adverse events lower than most other non-opioid analgesics. Based on these results, the Swedish authorities (Lakemedelsverket) have approved the reintroduc- tion of dipyrone to clinical use as a valuable contribution to pain treat- ment. In connection with this further milestone in the story of the drug, a symposium was held in Stockholm on March 14, 1996, under the chairman- ship of Professor N. Rawal to review the current understanding of the ac- tion, efficacy and safety of dipyrone. The highlights of this Hoechst symposium emphasize particularly the therapeutic basis for the use of dipyrone in the modern treatment of acute post-operative pain. 9 Mode of action of dipyrone Professor K. Brune, M. D. Erlangen, Germany Most non-opioid analgesic drugs are inhibitors of cydo-oxygenase, the en- zyme catalysing the formation of prostaglandins (PGs).

Principles of Immunopharmacology provides a unique source of essential knowledge on the immune response, its diagnosis and its modification by drugs and chemicals. The 4th edition of this internationally recognized textbook has been revised to include recent developments, but continues the established format, dealing with four related fields in a single volume, thus obviating the need to refer to several different textbooks.

The first section of the book, providing a basic introduction to immunology and its relevance for human disease, has been updated to accommodate new immunological concepts, particularly the role of epigenetics and the latest understanding of cancer immunology. The second section on immunodiagnostics offers a topical description of widely used molecular techniques and a new chapter on imaging techniques. This is followed by a systematic coverage of drugs affecting the immune system, including natural products. This third sectioncontains 15 updated chapters, covering classical immunopharmacological topics such as anti-asthmatic, anti-rheumatic and immunosuppressive drugs, but also deals with antibiotics, plant-derived and dietary agents, with new chapters on monoclonal antibodies, immunotherapy in sepsis and infection, drugs for soft-tissue autoimmunity and cell therapy. The book concludes with a chapter on immunotoxicology and drug safety tests.

Aids to the reader include a two-column format, glossaries of technical terms and appendix reference tables. The emphasis on illustrations is maintained from the first three editions.

The book is a valuable single reference for undergraduate and graduate medical and biomedical students, postgraduate chemistry and pharmacy students, researchers in chemistry, biochemistry and the pharmaceutical industry and researchers lacking basic immunological knowledge, who want to understand the actions of drugs on the immune system.

There is no ideal analgesic and the most potent drug is not always the best because of its side-effects. Non-opioid analgesics, including the non-steroi- dal anti-inflammatory drugs and the non-narcotic analgesics, play an im- portant role in the relief of a wide spectrum of painful conditions, though they vary in efficacy and safety. This book reviews the role which non-opi- oid analgesics play in the relitff of pain, particularly with regard to post- operative and cancer pain. Emphasis is placed on the clinical indications for the non-acidic analgesic, dipyrone, and its relative safety in comparison to other non-opioid anlgesics. Michael J. Parnham 9 Introductory remarks Klaus A. Lehmann, Department of Anaesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care, University of Cologne, J osef-Stelzmann-Str. 9, D-50924 Cologne, Germany Opioids are considered to be the most potent analgesics for the manage- ment of acute and chronic pain. Much progress has been achieved with respect to their general availability in most countries, and health care per- sonnel have been encouraged to use these drugs more generously in a vari- ety of pain syndromes, including post-operative or cancer pain. The intro- duction of new techniques such as Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) or guidelines such as the WHO ladder concept for cancer pain mangement have considerably increased our knowledge of their benefits and prob- lems.

Standardizing Pharmacology: Assays and Hormones, Volume Two in the Discoveries in Pharmacology series, presents selected articles from historic discoveries that are enhanced with commentary from contemporary scholars who present discussions on the importance of each chapter, along with an updated bibliography on the subject and contributions from a Nobel Prize winner and other pioneers in pharmacology. Academic and industry researchers in pharmacology and medicine, as well as advanced students will find this series a useful teaching tool and launch to new discoveries.

Sections cover key discoveries in receptor theory, pharmacological methods and the development of hormone therapy, including J. Parascandola on the development of receptor theory, R.S. Yalow on radioimmunoassay, M. van Rossum and J.T L.A. Hurkmans on bioassays, M. Tausk on androgen therapy and C. Djerassi on oral contraceptives, with commentaries from experts such as T. Hökfelt and V.C. Jordan.

Mechanisms of action of non-opioid analgesics.- Fulfilling patients' needs for appropriate prescriptions: The acute pain service approach.- Non-opioids in the treatment of post-operative pain.- Comparative safety of non-opioid analgesics.- Concluding remarks.

Haemodynamics and Immune Defence: Discoveries in Pharmacology, Second Edition, Volume Three presents selected articles from the historic Discoveries in Pharmacology series that are enhanced with commentary from contemporary scholars who discuss the reception and importance of each chapter along with an updated bibliography on the subject and contributions from those involved in Nobel Prize winning discoveries and pioneering advancements in Pharmacology. This volume brings forth discussions on key discoveries in hemodynamics and immune defense, including chapters on penicillin by Dr. Selwyn and asthma by Dr. Brocklehurst.

Academic and industry researchers in pharmacology and medicine, as well as advanced students in the area, will find this useful teaching tool and launch to new discoveries. Chapters can also be used to supplement course material in pharmacology and medical courses. It will also be of interest to those who are interested in the history of medicine.