Fundamentals of toxicology

Toxicology is the biological, chemical and pharmacological study of poisons. This unit presents the broad science of contemporary toxicology to facilitate the understanding of the principles and mechanisms of the action of poisons on specific organ systems. It examines the response of each body system to poisons and the specific effects of a wide range of toxic agents - from pesticides to radiation. In addition sources of toxins, toxicokinetics, toxicity testing and risk assessment are studied to enable you to understand how to predict and eliminate the potential risk of toxicity to humans and animals. The topics are organized into several thematic chapters which include general principles of toxicology, dispositions of toxicants, non-organ-directed toxicology, target organ toxicity, toxic agents, environmental toxicology and applications of toxicology.