The Merck Index

Abstract

BEDI04109747 BLIB04103605 Michael R. Blake CambridgeSoft Corp. (800-315-7300; info@cambridgesoft.com). themerckindex.cambridgesoft.com Date reviewed: 2/22/04 Price: Negotiated by site. When looking for chemical information on drugs, biological substances, or an unknown, librarians typically reach for The Merck Index, usually kept at the reference desk. CambridgeSoft Corporation now provides a web version of this wonderful source with added enhancements that make this electronic product worth investigating. The Merck Index contains detailed information on 10,250 chemical compounds. The compounds include prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals for human and veterinary use, enzymes, proteins, other biologicals, natural products, and commercial chemicals. The data is arranged in the ”monograph” record and is generally composed of the following data elements: Monograph number, Title, CAS Registry Number, CAS Name, Additional Names, Molecular Formula, Molecular Weight, Percent Composition, Literature References, Properties, Derivative Type, CAS Registry Number, Additional Names, Manufacturers' Codes, Trademarks, Molecular Formula, Molecular Weight, Percent Composition, Properties, Therapeutic Category, and Use. Some records will also have Derivative Type, Therapeutic Category (Vet.). The opening screen divides the web site into four general areas and indicates the number of concurrent sessions running. The four areas (Compound Search, Organic Name Reactions, Additional Tables, and General Information) describe the access points to the monographs and enhance the records with additional data when available. Similar to other CambridgeSoft products, the Compound Search provides two avenues of database access: a typical physical constants template, or a detailed structure search using a plug-in supplied by CambridgeSoft. The template approach allows input of data elements as single search parameters or in conjunction with a full-text search component to define narrowly the results set. Structure searching with ChemDraw provides a much more focused search but also requires an understanding of chemical structure analysis. Here users can search Substructure, Exact Structure, and Tanimoto Similarity. Substructure allows for searching of any portion of a compound; the results sets can be large if not carefully constructed. The Exact Structure will retrieve the exact structure and any isomers. The Tanimoto Similarity search will pull those structures that are similar to the original request. Result sets of any search type can be displayed, edited, refined, or printed. A Full Text Search for the drug Zyprexia, an antipsychotic, retrieves a short record that displays Monograph No.: 6892, Title: Olanzapine, Mol. Wt.: 312.44, and a chemical structure drawing, when available. If this is the correct compound we can click on ”Mark Record” for further use or for printing, or we can click on Show Details for the full display of the monograph. At this point, the search results can be edited by clicking on the Refine button. The Organic Name Reaction (ONR) search has two components: browse and search. Browse provides an alphabetical listing of approximately 450 organic chemical reactions. The product states ”it is intended to serve the professional chemist and student by describing organic chemical reactions which have come to be recognized and referred to by name within the chemistry community.” The list includes reactions such as ”Arndt-Distert Synthesis, Barton Decarboxylation, Flood Reaction, Moffatt Oxidation, and Zincle Nitration.” An ONR search allows for keyword access to the organic reactions records. Multiword searches should use 'ʼnear” and not ”and” to get accurate results. The use of 'ʼnear” is recommended for the entire site. Useful Help is available throughout. The Additional Tables section provides basic supportive materials to help construct informed searches. Tables such as ”Abbreviations and Selected Definitions,” ”INN Names for Radicals and Groups,” and ”Thermometric Equivalents” provide chemical data that is not usually kept in one's own head. To take advantage of the full range of searching capabilities, download ChemDraw Microsoft ActiveX and the ChemDraw and Chem3D Plugins. The software is compatible on Windows Internet Explorer 4.0-6.x or Netscape 4.0-6.x and Macintosh Netscape 4.0-4.7x platforms. Be prepared to give up a small amount of hard drive real estate (about 35 MB), but the increase in searching capabilities is well worth the sacrifice. The Merck Index is part of a suite of integrated chemical databases provided by CambridgeSoft, which includes Chem-INDEX (see Database&Disc Reviews, LJ 3/1/04) and NCI and AIDS Developmental Therapeutics Program (below). These databases provide a wide range of chemical information for the doctor, research scientist, and student. The integrated searching format provided by CambridgeSoft allows for easy searching across all of its products. The Bottom Line: The Merck Index is a good start for chemical information needs. The addition of the ChemDraw software adds another useful layer of accessibility to the traditional printed Merck Index, which makes this product a good choice for academic and special libraries. ADDED MATERIAL Michael R. Blake, Phillips Acad., Andover, MA Copyright (2002) Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. To contact the publisher: http://www.reedbusiness.com