Combined Effects of Drugs and Toxic Agents : Modern Evaluation in Theory and Practice

Scientists struggling with the pharmaco- and toxicodynamic interactions of drugs and chemicals will find this book a valuable reference to the relevant theoretical background of this complex field and an indispensible guide to practical, analytical procedures for evaluation of experimental data. A new, straightforward mechanistically based analysis of observed combination effects is backed up by numerous examples as well as by computer-assisted plotting and curve fitting – using popular graphical software systems. The reader thus can gain not only a modern understanding of this complex area but proceed directly to the evaluation of his own dose-response experiments with respect to independent actions, and additive interactions, where appropriate. The meanings of terms and acronyms in the literature, most of them used in this book also, are elucidated by a comprehensive glossary. This book represents a modern, theoretical and practical guide for all scientists dealing with this controversial and complex area of the action and interaction of drugs and chemicals. Front Matter....Pages I-XI Principle considerations of drug actions and interactions....Pages 1-14 Concepts and models of interactions — additivity and independence....Pages 15-38 Synergism/potentiation and antagonism — phenomena and mechanisms....Pages 39-53 Evaluation by dose-response curves....Pages 54-66 Evaluation by time-course studies....Pages 67-75 Single-dose and other studies....Pages 76-82 Combined-effect graph and other graphs....Pages 83-88 Applications of the new approach and observations....Pages 89-116 A new and critical view of isobolograms....Pages 117-121 Comparison of the new with the conventional approach....Pages 122-129 Epilog....Pages 130-131 Back Matter....Pages 132-167