Principles of Immunopharmacology

This textbook provides a unique support in gaining essential knowledge on the immune response, its diagnosis and its modification by drugs and chemicals. The first section of the book, covering a basic introduction to immunology and its relevance for human disease, has been updated to accommodate new immunological concepts. The second section on immunodiagnostics has been further expanded to describe widely used molecular techniques and is followed by a systematic coverage of drugs affecting the immune system, revised to cover recent developments. The book concludes with a chapter on immunotoxicology.
This third edition continues the unique format dealing with four related topics in a single volume, obviating the need to refer to several different textbooks. New 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 edition.

Rezension"It has exhausted all problems of immunopharmacology as never any other book has realized previously." (Cellular and Molecular Biology)". this book is outstanding in being a most readable account of the complexities of immune responses to insult, inflictions and cancer, liberally illustrated with excellent concept diagrams describing the inter-cellular cytokine-regulated components of immuno-inflammatory reactions." (Inflammopharmacology)

Introduction: Altering the chain of command in host defence.- Immunity: Hematopoiesis and lymphocyte development: an introduction.- T cell subsets and T cell-mediated immunity.-Antibody diversity and B lymphocyte-mediated immunity.- Dendritic cells.- Cytokines.- Innate immunity - phagocytes, natural killer cells and the complement system.- Inflammatory mediators and intracellular signalling.- Immune response in human pathology: Infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.- Immune response in human pathology: Hypersensitivity and autoimmunity.- Cancer immunity.- Neuroimmunoendocrinology.- Immunodiagnosis: Antibody detection.- Immunoassays.- Flow cytometry.- Microarrays.- Immunotherapeutics: Vaccines.- Plasma-derived immunoglobulins.- Anti-allergic drugs.- Drugs for the treatment of airway disease.- Perspectives of immunotherapy in the management of asthma and other allergic conditions.- Immunostimulants in cancer therapy.- Anti-infective activity of immunomodulators.- Immunopharmacology of probiotics and prebiotics.- Mild plant and dietary immunomodulators.- Influence of antibacterial drugs on the immune system.- Cytotoxic drugs.- Immunosuppressives in transplant rejection.- Corticosteroids.- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.- Immunotoxicology.- Appendices.- Glossary.- Index.

This textbook provides support in gaining essential knowledge on the immune response, its diagnosis and its modification by drugs and chemicals. New aids to the reader include a two-column format, glossaries of technical terms and appendix reference tables.