Introduction to Toxicology

Question 1

Define toxicology

Answer 1

the study of the adverse effects of chemical or physical agents on living systems

Question 2

Provided a substance, determine if it is properly denoted as a toxin or a toxicant

Answer 2

Toxins is a poisonous substance produced by living cells. Toxicant is a man-made chemical introduced into the environment that produces toxic effects on living cells

Question 3

Provided a specific activity/intervention, indicate whether the activity/intervention is an example of descriptive, mechanistic, or regulatory toxicology

Answer 3

Descriptive is what the phenotypic changes that occur in an organism as a result of exposure are. It is toxic?
Mechanistic is how those changes are produced. Why is it toxic?
Regulatory is assessing the safety of exposure levels of toxic substances. What should we do about it?

Question 4

Differentiate between local vs. systemic

Answer 4

Local: effect observed at site of contact or portal of entry
Systemic: effect observed at site distant from contact or portal of entry

Question 5

Differentiate between immediate vs. delayed

Answer 5

Immediate: seconds to hours
Delayed: Days to years

Question 6

Differentiate between reversible vs irreversible toxic responses.

Answer 6

Reversible: effect abates after stopping exposure
Irreversible: effect persists after stopping exposure

Question 7

Given a case of toxic exposure, determine which of the three phases of toxic responses are ongoing.

Answer 7

Exposure: many ways of exposure
Disposition: when using Rx drugs, we are just monitoring what is happening in the blood
Toxicodynamics: What happens cellularly when the toxin/toxicant reaches the site where it has this activity?

Question 8

Given a case of toxic exposure, identify three means by which toxic responses may be mitigated.

Answer 8

Prevent/reduce exposure, enhance elimination from body (we can use dialysis and filter it out the blood) , block/repair cellular effects (antidotes, antivenoms)