Pharmacological reviews

The cannabis derivative marijuana is the most widely used recreational drug in the Western world and is consumed by an estimated 83 million individuals (∼3% of the world population). In recent years, there has been a marked transformation i…

Prostaglandins are derived from arachidonic acid metabolism through cyclooxygenase activities. Among prostaglandins (PGs), prostacyclin (PGI2) and PGE2 are strongly involved in the regulation of homeostasis and main physiologic functions. I…

Botanical dietary supplements are increasingly popular for women's health, particularly for older women. The specific botanicals women take vary as a function of age. Younger women will use botanicals for urinary tract infections, especiall…

Estrogens are critical mediators of multiple and diverse physiologic effects throughout the body in both sexes, including the reproductive, cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous, and immune systems. As such, alterations in estrogen function pl…

Computer-aided drug discovery/design methods have played a major role in the development of therapeutically important small molecules for over three decades. These methods are broadly classified as either structure-based or ligand-based met…

Sixteen years ago, the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Pharmacology approved a system for naming human seven-transmembrane (7TM) G protein-coupled chemokine receptors, the large family of leukocyte chemoattractant recep…

Nuclear receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors and include the receptors for steroid hormones, lipophilic vitamins, sterols, and bile acids. These receptors serve as targets for development of myriad drugs that target a range …

A single gene encodes the key enzyme for estrogen biosynthesis termed aromatase, inhibition of which effectively eliminates estrogen production. Aromatase inhibitors successfully treat breast cancer and endometriosis, whereas their roles in…