Dictionary
the branch of pharmacology that deals with the nature and effects and treatments of poisons
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Wikipedia
Toxicology (from the Greek language Greek words ''toxicon'' and ''logos'') is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms. It is the study of symptoms, mechanisms, treatments and detection of biological poisoning, especially the poisoning of people. The chief criterion regarding the toxicity of a chemical is the dose, i.e. the amount of exposure to the substance. It is safe to say that almost all substances are toxic under the right conditions. As Paracelsus, the father of modern toxicology said, "dose determines the poison". Paracelsus, who lived in the 16th century was the first person to explain the dose response relationship of toxic substances.Many substances regarded as poisons are toxic only indirectly. An example is "wood alcohol" or methanol, which is not poisonous itself, but is chemically converted to toxic formaldehyde in the liver. Many drug molecules are made toxic in the liver, a good example being acetaminophen (paracetamol), especially in the presence of alcohol. The genetic variability of certain liver enzymes makes the toxicity of many compounds differ between one individual and the next. Because demands placed on one liver enzyme can induce activity in another, many molecules become toxic only in combination with others. A family of activities that engages many toxicologists includes identifying which liver enzymes convert a molecule into a poison, what are the toxic products of the conversion and under what conditions and in which individuals this conversion takes place. The term ''LD50'' refers to the dose of a toxic substance that kills 50 percent of a test population (typically rats or other surrogates when the test concerns human toxicity). LD50 estimations in animals became obsolete in 1991 and are no longer required for regulatory submissions as a part of pre-clinical development package. The term ''Multiple chemical sensitivity'' is a controversial diagnosis indicating that a person suffers from allergy symptoms caused by trace amounts of environmental chemicals.Mathieu Orfila is considered to be the father of toxicology, having given the subject its first formal treatment in 1813 in his ''Trait des poisons'', also called ''Toxicologie generate''.The term ''toxicology'' should not be confused with the term ''toxinology''. Toxinology is the specialized area of toxicology that deals specifically with biological toxins, such as venoms or poisonous plants.
See also - !List_of_publications_in_biolog y#Toxicology Important publications in toxicology In vitro toxicology Pollution Toxicity
References - Amdur MO, Doull J, Klaassen, CD. 1993. Cassarett and Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.Lewis M. Gash MDD Gilbert, Steven G. ''A Small Dose of Toxicology – The Health Effects of Common Chemicals''. CRC Press, Boca Raton, February 2004, p 266. – see web site !http://www.asmalldoseof.org
External links - asmalldoseof.org - A Small Dose of Toxicology atsdr.cdc.gov - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) atsdr.cdc.gov - Case Studies in Environmental Medicine atsdr.cdc.gov - ToxFAQs™ atsdr.cdc.gov - Public Health Statements (PHSs) atsdr.cdc.gov - Toxicological Profiles atsdr.cdc.gov - Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs) for Hazardous Substances atsdr.cdc.gov - Medical Management Guidelines (MMGs)for Acute Chemical Exposures atsdr.cdc.gov - Managing Hazardous Material Incidents atsdr.cdc.gov - Interaction Profiles for Toxic Substances atsdr.cdc.gov - CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances atsdr.cdc.gov - A Toxicology Curriculum for Communities Society of Toxicology: http://www.toxicology.org American College of Toxicology: http://www.actox.org Toxicity and hazard data on industrial chemicals hazard.com - hazard.com International Conference on Harmonisation ich.org Category:Toxicology !ca:Toxicologiacs:Toxikologiede :Toxikologiees:Toxicologíahe: טוקסיקולוגיהlt:Tok sikologijanl:Toxicologieja:毒 性学pl:Toksykologiapt:Toxico logiasr:Токсикологи јаsv:Toxikologitr:Toksikoloj i
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Websites
Society of Toxicology
Professional organization of scientists from academic institutions, government, and industry representing scientists who practice toxicology.
http://www.toxicology.org
National Toxicology Program (NTP)
Background, factsheets, testing information and study results, grants, NTP Evaluation Centers (including Alternative Toxicological Methods), how regulatory agencies use NTP data, announcements, meetings and publications, chemical health and safety information. Links to other governmental programs, such as National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR). USDA and NIH. US.
http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
International professional society whose scope of interests and activities includes ecotoxicology, along with other environmental fields. Special interests include whole effluent toxicity, ecological risk assessment, contaminated soils, and fate and effect modeling.
http://www.setac.org
Springer LINK
Information about scientific books and journals of the Springer publishing group, CD-ROM publications, software products, and catalogues, and online access (by subscription) to some contents.
http://link.springer.de/
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