chaptcrs are devoted to amino acids, peptides and proteins, carbohydrates and their derivatives, sterines, and steroids. T!ie;e follows a discussion of metabolic products, the deter- mination of which is important in the study of biochemical processes or for diagnostic purposes, e.g. for the testing of organ functions or for the determination of pathological changes in function. The majority of such problems involve the determination of compounds in organic materials of plant or animal origin. Consequently, if the iso!ation and purification operations are not to be too expcmive, the specificity of the method plays an importdncc role. The critica! notes in this connection, which also deal with sensitivity, reproducit ivty, and possible errors of eact individual method, therefore will be particularly valuable to the user. Furthermore, a3 rn the previous volumes, an Bttempt is again made together in the course of the color reactions on which a determination is based. The literature is systematically covered up to the end of 1962, and “a number of important studies published in 1963 are also taken into account”.

This volume of the manual again gives an impression of havin? been carefully compiled. The volume will be very welcome in all laboratories in which such investigations are cairied out, since, by obviating the need for laborious literature searches, it greatly facilitates the choice of a

H. Eohme [NB 554 IE] method.

[l] Cf. Angew. Chem. 75, 390 (1963). 121 Cf. Angew. Chem. 76,700 (1964).

Fortschritte der Arzneimittelforschung. Progress in Drug Research. Progres des recherches pharmaceutiques, Vol. 9. Edited by E. Jrrcker. Birkhauser Veda& Basel-Stuttgart 1966. 1st Edit., 414 pp., numerous ngures and tables, cloth D M 88.--.

The 9th volume of the series[*] again presents detailed reviews of important topics. H. J. Melching and C . Streffer report (118 pp.) on work on “The influence of drugs on the sensitivity of mammals to radiation”. After a short introductory passage on the biochemistry of radiation damage, the various groups of active substances are critically discussed and a brief description of their action mechanism closes the section. A discussion of “Structural considerations on psychopharmaceutics: attempted correlation of chemical constitution and clinical effect“ is presented by K. Stach and W. Piildingrr (61 pp.). The pharmacology and clinical use of the drugs, with particular reference to the tricyclic di- phenylamine and diphenylmethane derivatives, and the relationships between chemical constitution and activity are discussed. Special mention is made of the difference between planar (ctlorproniazine type) and twisted (imipramine type) ring systems. The article also contains sections on Rauwolfia alkaloids, benzoquinolizines, and butyrophero ne and hy- drazine derivatives. A report by R lfnwking on the “Chemo- therapy of Filariasis” covers 27 pages A mncise description of the types of Filarin that are important in clinical research and of in vitro and iQ nvo evaluation methods precedes a discussion of the chemotherapeutic agents of proven activity in this field: diethyl-carbamazine, antimony, arsenic and cyanine compounds, suramin, and bisquinolinium com- pounds. A very comprehensive article on “3,CDihydroxy- phenylalanine and related compounds” is presei:ted by A . R . Ptrtel and A . Brrr,yc?r (56 pp.). Comprehensive tables first give the physical and chemical properties of the intermediates and the yields in the synthesis of 3,4-dopa, its positional isomers, and a number of derivatives. This Is followed by analytical and pharmacological data on dopa. Finally, the dopa decarboxylase inhibitors, particularly 3-methyldopa are discussed and a brief section on 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl- serine concludes the article.

R . L . Smith contributes 54 pages on “The biliary excretion and enterohepatic circulation of drugs and other organic

compounds.” After a discussion of the mechanisms involved in biliary excretion, the fate of the excreted products in the intestines and their possible role as carcinogens are examined. The author goes on to give a survey of the classes of substan- ces that are predominantly excreted with the bile and the constitutional factors involved. The article by K. Wiesner and H. Fink on “Activity and side effects of metronidazol in the treatment of trichomoniasis” presents a critical evaluation of all the existing literature. For the reader’s guidance, the numerical data from the various publications are reproduced in tables (24 pp.). The valuc of this work for orientation in the field of drug research is enhanced by an excellent subject index for the present volume and an author and article index for the nine volumes published so far. The presentation of the book is once again excellent. 0. Schairmann [NB 557 IE]

[*] Cf. Angew. Chem. 78, 831 (1966); Angew. Chem. internat. Edit. 5, 854 (1966).

Compilation of Mass Spectral Data. By A . Cornu and R . Mus- sot. Published jointly by Heyden & Sons Ltd., London, and Presses Universitaire de France, Paris 1966. 1st Edit., xv, 617 pp., cloth E 14.

Mass spectra, like IR spectra, are well suited to the charac- terizstion of organic compounds. Although many reference spectra have been compiled in recent years, these exist mainly in company collections and are not generally acces- sible. In the present book, Curnu and Massot have compiled tables of the data required for the mass-spectroscopic identification of compounds (the intensity values of the ten highest peaks) from a total of some 5000 spectra taken from such collections and from the literature. It is easy to find a compound quickly, since the tables are arranged according to the empirical formula, the molecular weight, the strongest peaks, and the source of the spectra. Unfortunately, no line representations of spectra have been taken into account in the compilation of the tables, though this is the type of representation almost exclusively used by organic chemists nowadays. Thus the collection does not contain a single spectrum from the hundredor so fundamen- tal studies by Djerassi. On the other, hand, the spectra published several times in the API catalogue of mass spectra also appear several times in the book for example, on pages 11B and 12B there are ‘five spectra of cyclohexene, distin- guished only by a slight difference in the intensity values. These differences are due to variations in equipment and experimental conditions and are of n,o great experimental importance. It was therefore unnecessary to give the intensity values to an accuracy of tenths of a percent, since such an accuracy cannot be achieved in comparative work with different instruments. To summarize, it can be said that this collection of spectra is very useful for the identification of thermally stable com- pounds (e.g. hydrocarbons, esters, and aromatic compounds), the spectra of which could be recorded before 1960 by the methods hsual at that time; however, the reader will search in vain for spectra of such compounds as have been analysed by mass spectrometry during the past five years. These spectra already form a large part of the available data. This defect could be overcome by the publication of a supple- mcntary volume. ‘J. Spitrllrr [NE 553 IE]

Light: Physical and Biological Action. Edited by H. H. Seliger and W. D. McE1ro.v. Academic Press, New York-London 1965. 1st Edit., xi, 417 pp., several figures. $ 12.--.

The book is intended to give the beginner a general picture of the problems and the state of photobiology. The first part (Chapters 1 to 3) deals with the physical principles, and the second part (Chapters 4 and 5 ) with the biological phenomena.

Atigew. Chem. intermit. Edit. Vol. 6 (1967) / No. 4 381