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Related Concept Videos

Types of Toxins01:36

Types of Toxins

Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Toxicity Testing in Animals01:23

Toxicity Testing in Animals

Toxicity tests in animals are grounded on two main assumptions: first, the effects observed in laboratory animals can be extrapolated to humans, especially when adjusted for body surface area; second, high-dose exposure in animals is essential to identify potential human hazards from lower doses. This is based on the quantal dose-response concept, which faces the challenge of extrapolating results from relatively few test animals to much larger human populations. For example, a 0.01% incidence...
Toxic Reactions: Overview01:26

Toxic Reactions: Overview

When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions01:24

Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...
Toxicokinetics: Overview01:21

Toxicokinetics: Overview

Studies that assess how a drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted (ADME) at toxic doses are termed toxicokinetics. Understanding toxicokinetics helps predict adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and manage toxicity in humans.Toxicokinetics differs from pharmacokinetics mainly in the dose levels studied, with toxicokinetics focusing on higher toxic doses. The kinetics at these levels can be non-linear due to altered physiological processes. Toxicodynamics examines the relationship...
Bioactivation and Tissue Toxicity01:25

Bioactivation and Tissue Toxicity

Bioactivation is a metabolic process that transforms less reactive substances into highly reactive metabolites, initiating tissue toxicity. This transformation can lead to various toxic effects, including carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. Reactive metabolites are classified into two main types: electrophiles and free radicals.Electrophiles are electron-deficient species and are produced primarily by the enzyme cytochrome P-450 during the metabolism of compounds containing carbon, nitrogen, or...

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Correction: Bukvić et al. Effects of High-Intensity Training on Complete Blood Count, Iron Metabolism, Lipid Profile, Liver, and Kidney Function Tests of Professional Water Polo Players. <i>Diagnostics</i> 2024, <i>14</i>, 2014.

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Correction: Bukvić et al. The Association of Serum Calprotectin with Fitness Indicators and Biochemical Markers in High-Level Athletes: A Continuous Dynamic Monitoring During One Competitive Season. <i>Sports</i> 2023, <i>11</i>, 243.

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A Murine Pancreatic Islet Cell-based Screening for Diabetogenic Environmental Chemicals
07:39

A Murine Pancreatic Islet Cell-based Screening for Diabetogenic Environmental Chemicals

Published on: June 25, 2018

Dioxins and human toxicity.

Natalija Marinković1, Daria Pašalić, Goran Ferenčak

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Zagreb University School of Medicine, Salata 3, Zagreb, Croatia. nmarinko@snz.hr

Arhiv Za Higijenu Rada I Toksikologiju
|December 25, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Dioxins, including polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs), are highly toxic environmental pollutants. Exposure can lead to various health issues, including cancer and disruptions to major bodily systems.

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Assessment of Chemical Toxicity in Adult Drosophila Melanogaster

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A Murine Pancreatic Islet Cell-based Screening for Diabetogenic Environmental Chemicals
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Assessment of Chemical Toxicity in Adult Drosophila Melanogaster
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Assessment of Chemical Toxicity in Adult Drosophila Melanogaster

Published on: March 24, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Toxicology
  • Chemical Carcinogenesis
  • Human Health Risk Assessment

Background:

  • Dioxins, encompassing PCDDs and PCDFs, are persistent organic pollutants with 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) as the most toxic congener.
  • Human exposure routes include environmental, occupational, and accidental sources, with dioxins accumulating in body fat.
  • The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway, involving CYP1A1 gene expression, mediates dioxin's toxic and carcinogenic actions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the toxicological profile of dioxins.
  • To outline the mechanisms of dioxin toxicity and carcinogenicity.
  • To highlight the diverse health effects and susceptible populations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of scientific studies on dioxin toxicity.
  • Analysis of biochemical pathways involved in dioxin metabolism and action (e.g., P4501A1, AhR).
  • Documentation of epidemiological and toxicological findings on human health effects.

Main Results:

  • Dioxins are classified as known human carcinogens.
  • Exposure can cause noncancerous effects such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes.
  • Long-term exposure disrupts nervous, immune, reproductive, and endocrine systems; short-term high exposure impairs liver function and causes chloracne.

Conclusions:

  • Dioxins represent a significant human health risk due to their wide-ranging toxic effects.
  • Foetuses and infants are the most vulnerable populations to dioxin exposure.
  • Dioxins are among the most toxic chemicals known, necessitating careful monitoring and control of exposure.