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It's not often that I get excited about a Web-based search product. I've seen my share of them over the years and they are usually lacking many of the features that would make them useful for performing database research. However, after recently trying out MDL DiscoveryGate [http://www.discoverygate.com], a paid search service from Elsevier, I find myself impressed. Elsevier understands what good Web-based services can do and has really produced an interface and product worthy of the 21st century.
MDL DiscoveryGate combines databases, major references works, and xPharm, an integrated collection of pharmacological information. The database function aggregates several databases and allows you to search for chemical information by both structure and/or text in fields across databases. It claims to cover more than 20 million compounds, 11 million reactions, and 500 million observed properties. The databases available include Crossfire Gmelin and Beilstein, MDL Compound Index, MDL Comprehensive Medicinal Chemistry, MDL Drug Data, National Cancer Institute DB, MDL Metabolite, MDL Toxicity and many more. The databases are divided into several categories, such as bioactivity patents, and synthetic methodology. The Help information describes each database and the information it contains.
The Web-based product runs in Java, so it is truly cross-platform compatible. Sometimes Java-based products are slow, but in this case, the creators have done their homework and the browser-based product works well. It's almost as fast as a normal application. As a Mac user, I appreciate the fact that time was taken to ensure the platform independency of the product. The product also advertises that it is Mac compatible. (See Figure 1 below.)
When you select a database to search on the left, the fields below are updated to reflect those available within that source. You can use a default search form or create your own by double-clicking on any field to add it to the search form. I have played with it quite a bit and found it easy-to-use and I am generally...