|  Chronobiology is the scientific discipline that investigates how biological
processes are governed by time. It has been demonstrated that many physiological
processes follow rhythmic patterns, be they annual, weekly or daily.
Although there are several texts dealing with the subject of chronobiology
in general, this welcome text focuses on the application of chronobiological
principles to the treatment of disease. The edited book comprises 15
chapters with contributions from experts in the field. It is well referenced
and contains both human and animal data.
Chronobiology is not a new science, however, it has only gained scientific
credibility in recent years. The advent of modern experimental techniques
has led to an awareness of the extent to which disease processes and
their treatment can be influenced by the time of day. Chronotherapeutics,
the application of chronobiological principles to the treatment of disease,
is still in its infancy, but technologies designed to provide chronotherapeutic
delivery have already started to emerge in the marketplace, eg, SyncroDose.
These systems are designed to release varying quantities of drug at optimum
times.
Chapters 1 to 3 introduce the concepts of chronobiology. The rhythm of
physiological processes is discussed, together with the location of the
neural structures involved and mechanisms at the subcellular level.
Chapters 4 and 5 examine the rhythms affecting the pharmacokinetics and
pharmacodynamics of drugs. Time-dependent variations in the absorption,
distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs are considered, together
with the influence of circadian rhythms on signal transduction.
Chapters 6 to 10 consider the therapeutic implications of rhythms in
a number of different systems and conditions, namely, the gastrointestinal
tract, asthma, cardiovascular disease, pain and cancer.
Chapter 11 presents an overview of chronopharmaceutical drug delivery
based on modifications of conventional oral formulations, namely, tablets,
pellets and capsules. An additional chapter dealing with the development
of responsive polymeric drug delivery systems (with applications to chronotherapeutics)
would have complemented this part of the book.
Chapter 12 considers normal variations in the phase of circadian rhythms
and clinical problems associated with circadian rhythm disorders. Treatments
of commonly encountered abnormalities in rhythms, such as jet lag and
shift-workers’ malaise, are discussed. Chapter 13 examines drug
effects on the suprachiasmatic nuclei (the pacemaker that regulates biological
rhythms) and considers pharmacological approaches for altering rhythms.
Chapter 14 discusses melatonin and the effect of ageing on the secretion
pattern of this hormone. Chapter 15 considers whether circadian phase
abnormalities play a role in seasonal affective disorders.
This well-referenced book will be a valuable reference source of up-to-date
information for pharmaceutical scientists interested in the area of chronobiology
and chronotherapeutics.
Antony D’Emanuele
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal