This fully updated third edition of the encyclopedia covers all aspects of pharmacology, from the chemistry of drugs and the biochemistry of drug targets to the clinical application of drugs, with emphasis on molecular mechanisms. It also includes techniques for describing the effects of drugs and characterizing drug targets. With over 2,000 entries and 350 detailed essays by leading experts, this book is also an up-to-date and important reference for scientists in fields outside pharmacology, students, health care workers, teachers, physicians, and laypersons. Available both in print and as a fully searchable and hyperlinked electronic online edition.