ClinicalChemistryBlogNotes17E: it's TOXIC!

WORD HUNT (Let’s take a look and Discover…….. )

E	X	P	O	S	U	R	E	P	A	U	F
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V	R	Q	L	M	D	A	N	O	I	S	L
C	B	W	R	E	P	E	A	T	E	D	A

There are many words that could be found in the box above. If you were able to hunt or found all of the 10 words, give yourself a big hand! (bravo! :D) Now, maybe you are wondering what these words would mean in relation to my new blog.

Photo Credit: TOXIC

What comes into your mind when you see this picture? A human skull with two bones attached to it, which generally symbolizes the word TOXIC.

TOXICOLOGY

Is the study of poisons or commonly known as toxins. We may be exposed to these toxic agents in many different ways. It may either be intentional, accidental or occupational exposures.

You can watch this video to know more about how toxins are acquired and how will it affects our body :) Toxins in the body.

The study of toxicology is not merely about the presence of toxins or poisons in the body but also its effect on the body systems, diagnostic testing and interventions to counteract or resolve the problem caused by these toxic agents. There are four major disciplines/divisions within toxicology:

Molecular & Mechanistic Toxicology Track

Photo credit: Mechanistic

1. Mechanistic Toxicology

It explains the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the individual expression of toxic effects. Rational therapy design was provided through this study and the different tests were developed in order to assess the degree of exposure of the poisoned individuals.

Photo Credit: Animals

2. Descriptive Toxicology

Risk Assessment is a procees in descriptive toxciology which involves testing of animals with certain toxins to determine the possible level of exposure that will cause harm to individuals in relation to the animal tested.

Photo Credit: Forensic

3. Forensic Toxicology

It is primarily concerned with the study of isolation and analysis of drugs and poisons in biological specimens. The interpretation of the results may help determine the cause of death of an individual in medico-legal context.

4. Clinical Toxicology

Photo Credit: ClinTox

This study focuses on the relationship of the toxin and the disease it may cause to humans. It invloves both diagnostic testing and therapeutic interventions to evaluate and manage poisoned individuals.

Other Specialized Field of Toxicology:

Environmental Toxicology: Works on the effects of chemicals on the human environment.

Ecotoxicology: It deals primarily with the transport and fate of chemicals within an ecosystem.

Regulatory Toxicology: Interprets data form Descriptive and Mechanistic toxicology to come up with the standards, which are set levels or concentrations of chemicals which are considered safe or will not pose risk to public health.

Photo Credit: FDA

a. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the safety of food, drugs, cosmetics and food additives.

b. US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulates pesticides, waste water from industry, and air pollution.

c.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) help establish safe workplaces.

Routes of Exposure:

1. Ingestion

2. Inhalation

3. Transdermal Absorption

Toxicity:	Acute	Chronic
Exposure	Short term	Frequent, repeated exposure for extended periods
Dose	Dose is sufficient to cause immediate toxic effects	Accumulation of the toxicant or toxic effects

Dose – Response Relationship

“the dose makes the poison”

The statement above is attributed to Paracelsus, a fifteenth-century German physician who determined that specific chemicals were actually responsible for the toxicity of a plant or animal poison. He also documented that the body's response to those chemicals depended on the dose received.

Dose – Response Relationship implies that small doses of a substance might be harmless or beneficial whereas larger doses could be toxic.

ED0	Effective for 0% population
ED10	Effective for 10% population
ED50	Effective for 50% population
ED90	Effective for 90% population

TD0	Toxic for 0% population
TD10	Toxic for 10% population
TD50	Toxic for 50% population
TD90	Toxic for 90% population

Effective Doses (EDs) are used to indicate the effectiveness of a substance. Normally, effective dose refers to a beneficial effect (relief of pain). Toxic Doses (TDs) are utilized to indicate doses that cause adverse toxic effects.