Toxicology

Toxicology

Introduction

Paracelsus, the father of modern toxicology, said, “Sola dosis facit venenum” (only dose makes the poison), meaning that almost all substances are toxic if the dose is high enough. He was the first to explain the doseresponse relationship of toxic substances. Toxicological studies investigate the relationship between dose and its effects on the exposed organism including symptoms, but also mechanisms, treatments, and detection of toxicity to humans. The main criterion is therefore the dose, which gives information about the amount of exposure to a toxic substance (Aardema, MacGregor, 2002).

Discussion

Toxicity is a function of the effective dose (how much) of the unknown ...