Medical Toxicology

Analytical toxicology is the detection, identification, and measurement of foreign compounds in biological and other specimens. Analytical methods are available for a wide range of compounds like chemicals, pesticides, drugs and natural toxins. Analytical toxicology is used in the diagnosis, management, prognosis, and prevention of poisoning. Analytical toxicology laboratories may be involved in activities such as the assessment of exposure following chemical incidents, therapeutic drug monitoring, monitoring the drugs of abuse and forensic analyses. They may also be involved in research like determining the pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic properties. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry are generally used today in analytical toxicology. While planning the development of an analytical toxicology service there are a number of considerations. These comprise the pattern of poisoning and, therefore, the specific substances for which analyses will be required, the existing infrastructure, the availability of ongoing technical support, spare parts and reagents from suppliers, the availability of a team of trained staff and the capacity to train new staff and provide continuing professional development.

Genotoxicity describes the property of chemical compounds that damages the genetic information within a cell causing mutations, which may lead to cancer. Genotoxic molecules, researchers assay for DNA damage in cells exposed to the toxic substrates. Techniques like in vitro and in vivo Genotoxic in these tests have the ability to be human carcinogens and ultimately may induce cancer and heritable defects. genotoxicity at an early stage in Drug Discovery rather than during regulatory assessment.

Forensic toxicology uses toxicology and other disciplines such as analytical chemistry, clinical chemistry and toxicology involves not only determining the presence of forensic toxicology should be carefully tested by performing a validation of the method to ensure definite results at all times. forensic toxicology is the study of drugs, alcohol and poisons, including their chemical composition, identification and preparations. It comprises knowledge about the absorption, distribution and elimination process of such substances in the body, as well as the manner in which the body responds to their presence and the factors which define Drug Safety and efficacy.

Food safety is a discipline which describes preparation, handling and storage of food in ways that avoid foodborne illness. This involves a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards. Food safety includes the origins of food including the practices relating to food labelling, food additives, pesticide residues and food hygiene as well as policies on Biotechnology and food. Food can transmit disease from person to person as well as help as a growth medium for bacteria that can cause food poisoning. In developed countries there are sophisticated standards for food preparation, whereas in lesser developed countries the main issue is simply the availability of sufficient safe water, which is usually a critical item. Environmental toxicology is a field of science concerned with the study of the harmful effects of various physical, chemical and biological agents on living organisms. Harmful effects of biological and chemical agents can include toxicants from pesticides, pollutants, fertilizers and insecticides all of which can impact an organism and its population through shifts in species diversity and abundance. Living organisms can be exposed to Toxicants at various stages of their life cycle. The amount of toxicity can vary depending on where the organism is found within its food web.

Application of procedures and principles of toxicology to prevent adverse health effects from drug candidates. To estimate the safety of potential drug candidates in the drug development process is the primary objective of toxicology studies. This can be done by using relevant animal models and validated procedures. The ultimate goal is to translate the animal model responses into an understanding of the risk for human subjects. To this end, the toxicologist must be conscious of the international guidelines for safety evaluation, as well as traditional and non-traditional toxicology models. Toxicology profile consists of safety Pharmacology, acute and sub chronic toxicology, chronic toxicology, ADME studies, genetic toxicology, reproductive and developmental toxicology and an evaluation of carcinogenic potential. The development of novel drugs requires non-clinical safety studies to be performed on candidate drug compounds. Such studies typically assess general toxicology safety pharmacology and Genetic Toxicity test batteries. These studies notify development of candidate drugs from the “discovery phase” through clinical development to regulatory submission and registration. Less importance was placed on the evaluation of safety issues for projects while still in the drug design phase. Therefore, this led to a number of major failures of candidate drugs in early development due to toxicological issues. In response to this costly attrition, many pharmaceutical companies have now dedicated in “Discovery-phase Toxicology” or “Discovery Safety” to detect likely hazards and to take steps to design out or significantly reduce unwanted properties at an earlier stage, with the ultimate aim of improving the probability of success in non-clinical and clinical drug development.

The extent to which an organ system can be damaged by a toxicant is termed as Organ System Toxicity. It is dose dependent and species specific.

Certain chemicals interfere with the body’s endocrine system resulting in adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune effects. Such chemicals are termed as Endocrine Disruptors. They interfere with both human and animal endocrine systems. Endocrine Disruptors are either natural or synthetic. They may also lead to carcinogenesis. They may be otherwise called as Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals or Endocrine Disrupting compounds or Hormonally Active agents.

Genetic toxicology deals with the study of effects of different physical, chemical and biological substances on genetic material. It identifies the possible reasons for occurrence of birth defects, heritable mutations and carcinogenesis.

Mutations are caused due to genetic damage. The property of the chemical agent which causes the genetic damage is studied under genotoxicity. Mutations are the main cause for carcinogenesis.

Mutagenesis occurs spontaneously in the nature which results in the change in genetic information of an organism in a stable manner. It may also occur due to mutagens.

Genotoxic chemotherapy induces DNA damage in the cancer cells thus leading to their death. It is done by using one or more Genotoxic drugs. Damage done to a cancer is passed on to descendent cancer cells as proliferation continues. Apoptosis is induced under severe conditions

Environmental toxicology is the study of the harmful effects of various chemical, biological and physical agents on living organisms at different levels of ecosystem. Many sources lead to environmental toxicity which includes toxicants from pollutants, insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, industrial and metallic toxicants. All these agents have a profound influence on the living organisms. This may result in the imbalance of ecosystem.

Anthropogenic factors, manufactured chemicals etc. have a major impact on aquatic ecosystems. The first affected population due to the environmental pollutant burdens is the aquatic population. Aquatic toxicology studies the impact of these factors on the aquatic organisms at various levels of organisation and ecosystem. Aquatic toxicology is a multidisciplinary field which integrates toxicology, aquatic ecology and aquatic chemistry. The chemical substances which are used to kill, injure or incapacitate human beings with their toxic properties are called as Chemical Warfare Agents. These agents can be any state-solid, liquid, gas or volatile. These are inexpensive and relatively easy to manufacture. The chemical warfare agents may be classified into Harassing agents, Incapacitating agents, Lethal agents, Blood agents, Choking agents, Nerve agents.

Medical toxicology is a subspecialty of medicine focusing on toxicology and providing the diagnosis, management, and prevention of poisoning and other adverse effects due to medications, occupational and environmental toxicants, and biological agents.

Medical toxicology is a subspecialty of medicine focusing on toxicology and providing the diagnosis, management, and prevention of poisoning and other adverse effects due to medications, occupational and environmental toxicants, and biological agents.

Medical Toxicologists work in a variety of settings including :

Emergency departments and in-patient units where they directly treat acutely poisoned patients. Outpatient clinics and occupational health settings where they evaluate the health impact from exposure to toxic substances in the home or workplace. National and regional poison control centres where they provide medical direction for health professionals, personal responders and the general public

Industry and commerce where they contribute to pharmaceutical research and development, product safety, occupational health services, and regulatory compliance. Governmental agencies where they provide toxicology expertise at all levels from local health departments to federal entities. Clinical and forensic laboratories where they aid in the design, conduction and interpretation of diagnostic tests and forensic studies.