Includes bibliographical references and index

Introduction and definitions -- Receptors and concentration-response relationships -- Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination -- Clinical pharmacokinetics and issues in therapeutics -- Gene therapy and emerging molecular therapies -- Regulated drug development and usage -- Herbals and natural products -- Introduction to the autonomic nervous system -- Drugs affecting the parasympathetic nervous system and autonomic ganglia -- Drugs affecting the sympathetic nervous system -- Regulation of blood pressure by the autonomic nervous system -- Antihypertensive drugs -- Diuretics: drugs that increase the excretion of water and electrolytes -- Antiarrhythmic drugs -- Drugs to treat heart failure -- Vasodilators and nitric oxide synthase -- Prostaglandins and related autacoids -- Lipid-lowering drugs and atherosclerosis -- Drugs to treat blood disorders -- Introduction to the central nervous system -- Treatment of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases -- Treatment of psychotic disorders -- Treatment of affective disorders -- Treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders -- Ethanol and related compounds -- Treatment of eating disorders and obesity -- Treatment of seizure disorders --General anesthetics -- Skeletal muscle relaxants -- Local anesthetics --Drugs to control pain -- Drug and substance abuse -- Glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids -- Drugs to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease -- Estrogens and progestins -- Androgens and antiandrogens -- Thyroid and antithyroid drugs -- Insulin and drugs used in the therapy of diabetes mellitus -- Drugs affecting utrerine motility -- Hypothalamic-pituitary hormones -- Calcium-regulating hormones and other agents affecting bone -- Mechanisms of action of antineoplastic drugs -- Clinical effects of antineoplastic drugs -- Principles of antimicrobial use -- Bacterial cell wall inhibitors -- Inhibitors of bacterial ribosomal actions -- Bacterial folate antagonists, fluoroquinolones, and other antibacterial agents -- Selection of an antibacterial agent -- Antimycobacterial agents -- Antifungal agents -- Antiviral agents -- Drugs to treat parasitic infections -- Immunopharmacology -- Histamines and antihistamines -- Gastrointestinal drugs -- Toxicology