Book reviews I.U.P.A.C. Editor: M. N. Kolosov. The chemistry of natural products-7. Pp. viii -•- 304 q- Ill. (1971). Butterworths, London. oe7.80. $23.40. This work is a collection of the plenary lectures given at the VIIth International Symposium on the Chemistry of Natural Products, held in Riga, U.S.S.R. in June 1970. In general the topics covered illustrate the wide application of the principles of modern organic chemistry to important and complex problems of biochemistry and mole- cular biology. The quality of the contribu- tions is outstanding, which is not surprising when one notes the lecturers. Thus, Prof. D. H. R. Barton describes approaches to the synthesis of the tetra- cyclines Prof. H. G. Khorana gives an account of his brilliant synthesis of yeast alanine transfer RNA, while Prof. R. B. Woodward continues the saga of attempts to synthesize vitamin Bx2. Other contributions of note are Prof. E. Lederer's on present knowledge of the chemistry of the cell wall of Mycobacteria and related organisms Naka- nishi's account of the ecdysones and Van Deenen on the chemistry of phospholipids and biological membranes. Antimetabolite chenfistry and enzyme catalysis and topo- graphy are also dealt with. An important paper, surveying the develop- ment of natural product chemistry in the U.S.S.R. over the last 10 years, was given by Prof. M. M. Shemyakin, whose sudden death occurred during the meeting. This volume is to be recommended for general reading and essential to any organic chemist interested in the application of his subject to the study of the biological sciences. A. G. BROWN 773 THE APPLICATIONS OF MOLECULAR DISTILLATION. J. Hollo, E. Kurucz and A. Borodi. Pp. 210 q- I11. (1971). Akad6miai Kiad6, Budapest. oe1.75. This book surveys the principal uses of molecular distillation up to the mid-1960s, from a practical viewpoint. The theoretical aspects of the process are briefly dealt with in an introductory section, and there is an account of the available t.•pes of still and ancillary equipment. The main part of the book is a comprehensive literature review (226 references, with a further 400 or so in a sup- plementary classified list) covering laboratory analytical and preparative applications as well as industrial uses. The greatest emphasis, naturally enough, is on the processing of glyceride oils and the production of vitamin concentrates, some such processes being de- scribed in useful detail other topics such as tall oils, mineral oils and plasticizers are more briefly discussed. The book has the common fault of trans- lated technical literature, an awkwardness of expression which leads sometimes to a lack of clarity, particularly in the theoretical section. The brief chemical process descrip- tions contain one or two minor lapses from strict accuracy. However, the book justifies its unpretentious claim to be a 'modest appendix' to the monographs already available it may be found of use as a practical introduction to the subject and as a key to the literature. P. L. WILLIAMS MARTINDALE: THE EXTRA PHARMA- COPOEIA. 26th edn. Pp. xviq-2320 (1972). The Pharmaceutical Press, London. oe14. The Extra t'harmacoj•oeia is so well known that a new edition calls for little more than a

774 BOOK REVIEWS reminder of its existence. New drugs and updated information on the use and abuse of medicaments could obviously expand the text overwhelmingly every 5 years or so. Hence, one of the main editorial tasks is to sift through all this new material, incorporat- ing what is judged to be valuable and discard- ing some of the more obsolescent text. The format closely follows that of its pre- decessor, which departed considerably from earlier versions but has presumably come to be accepted by its readers. Apart from new matter, there is some re-arrangement (e.g. the generic presentation of dermatological agents) and wide usage of diminutive print to avoid a vast increase in the number of pages. Martindale traditionally provides extremely broad coverage of 'official' medicaments, new ones not yet granted full recognition and older remedies still in use. The amount of information on technological aids, such as emulsifying agents, is less comprehensive but substantial nevertheless. If one accepts the general editorial policy of Martindale, the residual areas for debate are perhaps the sequence of entries and the selection of references. A simple classification and group- ing of 2 800 medicaments is almost too much to expect the saving grace, however, is a thoroughly complete index from which any entry may be rapidly located. Toxic effects and uses of medicaments are described by means of brief editorial sum- maries along with numerous abstracts from the literature. Toxicological references are mainly concerned with human case re- ports this is perhaps the best approach if Martindale is to be useful, for example, in overdosage emergencies. Presumably, the summarizing of laboratory reports on toxi- cology has been considered and rejected on space considerations. The various abstracts mainly deal with publications up to 1970, with a few reaching 1971. Even possession of the latest handbook cannot substitute for keeping in touch with the most recent original publications in one's own field but the editorial staff of Martindale have per- formed a herculean service within the limits of feasibility. The 26th edition is a worthy successor to its forebears and fully merits a place on our shelves N.J. VAN ABBlg