Prostanoids, Volume VI, documents the proceedings of the 3rd Congress of the Hungarian Pharmacological Society held in Budapest, 1979. Prostaglandin research is an exciting and rapidly developing field in chemical and biological sciences. It is the recently discovered prostacyclin that has brought about a breakthrough in prostaglandin research giving new impetus to clinical investigation. This volume contains 22 papers read at the ""Prostanoids Symposium"" by participants from eight different countries. Numerous new data concerning the synthesis of prostacyclin and different stable prostacyclin analogues are presented. Besides the problems of synthetic chemistry, data are given about the pharmacological properties of these prostacyclin analogues, analyzing their effects on heat and smooth muscles. Several papers dealing with the involvement of different pharmacologically active agents and hormones in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins emphasize the important role of prostanoids in various pathophysiological processes and diseases. The clinical use of prostacyclin, having already earned an outstanding position in medicine, is stressed.
