Cytochromes P450 : Royal Society of Chemistry : 9780854042746 : 0854042741 : 27 Jun 2008 : During half a century, cytochrome P450 in its original uniqueness as an optically "wrong" cytochrome has attracted many investigators, who have contributed to the unveiling of a bewildering multiplicity of biologically important functions of the, by now very large, superfamily of cytochrome P 450 enzymes. With its discovery in 1958 and with the advent of more refined spectroscopic methodologies, through the double wavelength spectrophotometry, the mysterious enzyme system began to reveal its secrets in a swift stream of investigative successes. As one of the most extensively studied enzyme systems worldwide the interest in cytochromes P450 very much reflects its importance in the elimination of drugs and other chemicals from the body and its role in chemical toxicity and in the aetiology of diseases such as cancer. There has been significant progress in research in this area in recent years and c