Toxicology Basics Flashcards
What is xenobiotic?
-Foreign chemical to the body
- Not produced by the body or expected to be there.
What is a toxicant?
Substance that interferes with the normal functions of the body.
What is a toxin?
Toxicant produced by a living organism.
What is NOEL?
No observable effect level
What is NOAEL
No observable adverse effect level
What is LOEL?
Lowest observable effect level
What is LOAEL
Lowest observable adverse effect level
What is an acute exposure?
Exposures over a short period of time (minutes to hours)
What is a sub-chronic exposure?
Exposures of medium duration (days to weeks or months)
What is a chronic exposure?
Exposures over a long period of time (years)
What are acute effects?
Immediate effects from exposure
What are chronic effects?
Effects only noticed after a long exposure
What is a latency period?
Amount of time between first exposure and onset of disease
What are the acute effects of carbon tetrachloride?
Central nervous system - excitability, dizziness, narcosis, headache, weakness, lethargy, nausea, and vomiting
What are the chronic effects of carbon tetrachloride?
Liver and kidney damage
What are system toxicity effects?
Adverse effects affecting whole system within the body. Example: organic solvents effect kidneys and liver.
What is local toxicity?
Adverse effect affecting solely site of exposure. Example: organic solvents may cause dermatitis.
What are additive effects?
Effect of two separate chemicals acting independently is additive.
2 + 2 = 4
What is an antagonistic effect?
Chemicals interfere with effects of each other.
2 + (-1) = 1
Example- antidote to poisons
What is a synergistic effect?
Total effects of separate chemicals is greater than individual effects.
2 + 2 = 10
What is a potentiating effect?
A substance that normally has no toxic effect becomes toxic in the presence of another substance
2 + 0 = 10
What is in vitro?
Experiments in an artificial environment
What is in vivo?
Experiments in the living organism.
Hepatoxic
Affects the liver
Nephrotoxic
Toxic to kidneys
Neurotoxic
Toxic to nerves
Hematotoxicity
Toxic to blood
Teratogen
Causes the malformation of embryo
Genotoxin
Acts directly by altering DNA
Epigenetic
Does not act directly on genetic material
Ototoxicity
Inner ear damage that develops as a side effect of a certain drug / medication - makes people more susceptible to the harmful effects of noise
Lung inflammation
Pneumonitis
Lung scarring
Fibrosis
Narcosis
A state of stupor, drowsiness, or unconsciousness produced by drugs
Encephalopathy
Encephalopathy is a group of conditions that cause brain dysfunction. Brain dysfunction can appear as confusion, memory loss, personality changes and/or coma in the most severe form.
Peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is an umbrella term for nerve diseases. Symptoms can include motor symptoms, sensory symptoms, and autonomic symptoms.
Motor Symptoms
muscle weakness and paralysis, muscle atrophy, uncontrolled muscle movements,
Sensory Symptoms
Tingling, numbness, imbalance and clumsiness, pain
Autonomic Symptoms
Blood pressure changes, sweating too much or not enough, bowel and bladder problems, sexual dysfunction, other symptoms
Hyperkeratosis
Hyperkeratosis is a condition that causes your skin to thicken in certain places
Siderosis
Siderosis is a pigmentation of the lung due to iron oxide exposure. The pigmentation can be marked but there seems to be no physical detriment.
Byssinosis
Byssinosis is a rare lung disease. It’s caused by inhaling hemp, flax, and cotton particles and is sometimes referred to as brown lung disease. It’s a form of occupational asthma
What are antineoplastic drugs?
Antineoplastic drugs are medications used to treat cancer. Other names for antineoplastic drugs are anticancer, chemotherapy, chemo, cytotoxic, or hazardous drugs.
Cocarcinogen
An agent that aggravates the carcinogenic effects of another substance
