Toxicology

Toxicology is the science of the effects of toxic substances on the body. Toxic substances are medicines, chemicals from everyday life or industry, and food additives. Toxicology is also a branch of pharmacology that is scientifically researching the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of poisoning. Toxin is a poisonous substance that forms in living cells of organisms and acts in very low concentrations. Toxins can be small molecules, peptides, proteins that cause disease by absorption or contact with tissues. Toxins react with biological macromolecules, such as enzymes and cellular receptors. The effects of toxins vary from minimal to lethal. Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can cause damage to the body, caused by a toxin. Toxicity can refer to the whole organism, such as a human, animal, plant or bacterium, and also to substructures, eg cells, organs, etc. By extension, the word toxicity can also be described as a toxic effect on larger and more complex groups, such as family and social groups. The central concept of toxicology is dose-dependent toxicity; even harmless substances such as water can lead to water poisoning if consumed in high enough doses, while taking a sufficiently small amount of highly toxic substances such as snake venom can occur without any consequences or effects of toxicity.

1 TOXIC CHEMICALS IN THE ENVIRONMENT There are a number of chemicals in the environment. Some of these are toxic and the rest non-toxic. The toxic chemicals are discharged by industries into air, water and soil. They get into the human food chain from the environment. Once they enter our biological system they disturb the biochemical processes, leading in some cases to fatal results. Chemical toxicology is the science of the study of toxic chemicals and their modes of action. The list of toxic chemicals is very long. It is intriguing that even now there are many cases where one is not sure whether a particular chemical compound is toxic or not. Some useful and important chemicals are being controlled rigorously as their non-toxicity has not been proved. There are valid confusions in respect of elements; where will the line be drawn between the 'essential limit' and 'toxic limit'? Such subdivision (toxic essential) is artificial and can be misleading. Many metals listed as environmental hazards are essential dietary trace elements required for normal growth and development of animals and human beings.

Dr Mangharam Malhi Pharmacist , 2024

The study of poison and how it affects living things is known as toxicology. Clinical toxicology is one of the many subfields within toxicology. Clinical toxicology The study of the harmful or toxic effects of substances, such as chemicals and medications, on the body is known as clinical toxicology. The majority of these substances are often administered to people in order to treat and prevent illnesses or to provide symptom alleviation.

Veterinary Pathology, 2014

Veterinary pathologists working as toxicologic pathologists in academic settings fill many vital roles, such as diagnosticians, educators, and/or researchers. These individuals have spent years investigating pathology problems that mainly or exclusively focus on the reactions of cells, organs, or systems to toxic materials. Thus, academic toxicologic pathologists are uniquely suited both to help trainees understand toxicity as a cause of pathology responses and also to provide expert consultation on toxicologic pathology. Most toxicologic pathologists in academia are employed at colleges of medicine or veterinary medicine, even though specific toxicologic pathology faculty appointments are uncommon in Europe and North America. Academic toxicologic pathologists typically receive lower financial compensation than do toxicologic pathologists in industry, but academic positions generally provide alternative rewards, such as higher workplace autonomy and scheduling flexibility, professional enrichment through student interactions, and enhanced opportunities for collaborative research and advanced diagnostic investigations. Regular participation by academic toxicologic pathologists in professional training opportunities (eg, as pathology and toxicology instructors in medical and veterinary medical courses, graduate programs, and residencies) offers an important means of engendering interest and inspiring veterinarians to select toxicologic pathology and toxicology as their own areas of future expertise.

Archives of Toxicology, 2015

Journal of medical toxicology : official journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology, 2012

Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 2016

The further backward you look, the further forward you can see" is an apt statement by Winston Churchill and is perhaps the raison d'être for why one should study history. Also, it has been said that those who do not learn from history's mistakes are often condemned to repeat them. With this view in mind, a history of toxicology must be studied. This chapter outlines the major events in the history of toxicology, starting from prehistoric times to the latest poisonings in the modern era.

Toxicological Sciences, 2012

Toxicology and careers in toxicology, as well as many other scientific disciplines, are undergoing rapid and dramatic changes as new discoveries, technologies, and hazards advance at a blinding rate. There are new and ever increasing demands on toxicologists to keep pace with expanding global economies, highly fluid policy debates, and increasingly complex global threats to public health. These demands must be met with new paradigms for multidisciplinary, technologically complex, and collaborative approaches that require advanced and continuing education in toxicology and associated disciplines. This requires paradigm shifts in educational programs that support recruitment, development, and training of the modern toxicologist, as well as continued education and retraining of the midcareer professional to keep pace and sustain careers in industry, government, and academia. The Society of Toxicology convened the Toxicology Educational Summit to discuss the state of toxicology education and to strategically address educational needs and the sustained advancement of toxicology as a profession. The Summit focused on core issues of: building for the future of toxicology through educational programs; defining education and training needs; developing the ''Total Toxicologist''; continued training and retraining toxicologists to sustain their careers; and, finally, supporting toxicology education and professional development. This report summarizes the outcomes of the Summit, presents examples of successful programs that advance toxicology education, and concludes with strategies that will insure the future of toxicology through advanced educational initiatives.

Annals of clinical and laboratory science

Toxicology is the study of poisons and poisoning and has an ancient and venerable history. Although there have been numerous notorious poisonings throughout the ages and rather astute descriptions of toxic agents, the scientific study of toxicology did not commence until the 19th century. There was rapid development of analytical methods in the late 19th century and then an acceleration of both method and scientific development in the latter half of the 20th century. Toxicology today can be subdivided into clinical toxicology, forensic toxicology, industrial or occupational toxicology, environmental toxicology, pharmaceutical toxicology, experimental toxicology, and workplace drug testing. The historical development of these overlapping areas of toxicology will be discussed, culminating in a prediction as to what the future may bring.