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= evaluation of environmental
specific functions of the tissues in an chemical pollutants and their impact on human
DRUG MONITORING organism health.
TOXICOLOGY NOT ALL CHEMICALS ARE DRUGS MAJOR FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE
DEFINITION OF TERMS What makes a particular chemical a TOXICITY:
A. Toxicology DRUG:: Route of Administration
study of poisonous subs, their axns on living
o Has selectivity as to its site of Duration and Frequency of Exposure
organism, their detection by laboratory/other
action/target Dose or Concentration
methods & measures taken to counteract their
o Has reversibility in its axn
biologic effects
o Promotes prodxn of a SPECTRUM UNDESIRED EFFECTS:
the study of the adverse effects of xenobiotics in
beneficial/therapeutic effect 1. Allergic rxn
humans.
G. Major Disciplines of Toxicology o Type I Hypersensitivity Rxn
Special field of clinical chemistry because of the 1. Mechanistic T. = elucidates the cellular, molecular o Type II Antibody-Mediated Cytotoxic
Qualitative and Quantitative methodologies & biochemical effects of xenobiotics within the Hypersenstivity
applied context of a dose–response relationship between o Type III Immune Complex-Mediated
Includes ROUTINE SCREENING AND the xenobiotic and the adverse effect. This provides Hypersensitivity
CONFIRMATORY TESTING a basis for rational therapy design and the o Type IV Delayed-type Hypersensitivity
B. Xenobiotics development of tests to assess the degree of 2. Idiosyncratic rxn
chemicals and drugs that are not normally found exposure in individuals. 3. Immediate vs. delayed toxicity
or produced in the body. 2. Descriptive T.= uses the results from animal 4. Reversible vs. irreversible toxicity
Exogenous agents that may have an adverse effect experiments to predict what level of exposure will 5. Local vs. systemic toxicity
on a living organism. cause harm in humans (risk assessment) 6. Acute vs. Chronic toxicity
often used to describe environmental chemicals or 3. Regulatory T.= interpretation of the combined
drug exposures (antibiotics, antidepressants, etc) data of Mechanistic and Descriptive T. to establish DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIP
C. Poisons standards that define the level of exposure that will “The dose makes the poison.” -Paracelsus
agents that have an adverse effect on a biological not pose a risk to public health or safety. A. INDIVIDUAL DOSE-RESPONSE
system. a. Government agencies that RELATIONSHIP
more often used when describing animal, plant, handles Regulatory Response of an individual organism to
mineral, or gas poisons. Toxicology: varying doses of a chemical
o Venom from poisonous animals, i. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Changing health effects based on the
poisons from poisonous plants, chemical ii. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) change in xenobiotic exposure levels
poisonings iii. Occupational Safety and Health B. QUANTAL DOSE-RESPONSE
D. Toxins Administration (OSHA) RELATIONSHIP
Substances that are biologically synthesized iv. Consumer Product Safety Commission Change in health effects of a defined
either in living cells or in microorganisms. v. Department of Transportation population based on changes in the
o Clostridium botulinum- Botulinum toxin 4. Forensic T. = primarily concerned with the exposure to xenobiotics
o Hemotoxins medicolegal consequences of exposure to
o Mycotoxins chemicals or drug, and establishing and validating LD50 = the dose that would predict death response
E. Toxicant/Toxic the analytic performance of the methods used to in 50% of the population
this applies to a substance not produced within generate evidence in legal situations. TD50 = the dose that would be predicted to
a living cell or microorganism 5. Clinical T.= the study of interrelationships produce a toxic response in 50% population
o Environmental chemicals between xenobiotics and disease states. This area ED50= the dose that would predict
emphasizes not only diagnostic testing but also therapeutic/effective response in 50% of the
F. Drugs therapeutic intervention. population