Basic Toxicology (Fundamentals, Target Organs and Risk Assessment)

I t s eem s lik e on ly yes t er d a y t h a t I r ev iew ed t h e s econ d ed it ion of t h is exce llen t b ook ; t h is t h ir d ed it ion h a s a p p ea r ed 5 yea r s la t e r. T h is is a t r ibu t e t o D r. L u , w h o k eep s h is b ook u p t o d a t e . T h e b ook is d ivid ed in t o fou r a r ea s . T h ese a r e , in gen er a l, p r in cip les of t oxicology, t e s t in g p r oced u r es , t a r ge t or ga n s , a n d r isk a s ses s m en t . E a ch p a r t con t a in s be t w een ® ve a n d e igh t ch a p t er s . Th e ch a p t e r s a r e n u m ber ed con secu t ive ly ; t h e r e a r e a t ot a l of 22 . T h is r ev is ion em p h a s izes t h e n ew er k n ow led ge on m od es of a ct ion t o h e lp a in p r ed ict in g cer t a in t oxic effe ct s . . . a n d fa cil it a t in g r a t ion a l a s ses sm en t of s̀ a fe ’ in t a k es or t h e r isk a s socia t ed w it h s p eci ® c levels of exp osu r e .o M a n y ch a p t e r s a r e r ew r it t en ; t h e s ect ion on t ox icologica l eva lu a t ion h a s been exp a n d ed . Toxicit y p r oced u r es s t i ll a r e a d d r es sed , bu t t o k eep t h e s ize of t h e book w it h in bou n d s s om e d escr ip t ion s h a ve been a bbr evia t ed . E xp a n d ed a r e t h e s ect ion s on p es t icid es a n d m et a ls . In t h e ® r s t p a r t t h e fu n d a m en t a l con cep t s l ik e a bsor p t ion , d is t r ib u t ion , a n d excr e t ion a r e w e ll t r ea t ed , a s w e ll a s t h e s p ect r u m of t oxic e ffe ct s a n d m od ifyin g fa ct or s . I n p a r t I I , d ea lin g w it h t es t in g p r oced u r es , t h e ch a p t er on m u t a gen es is is ou t s t a n d in g . P a r t I I I on t a r ge t or ga n s gives t h e r ea d er a ve r y good id ea of t h e t r u e n a t u r e of t oxicit y a n d t h e e ffe ct s of a gen t s on m a n y in d ivid u a l or ga n s . T h is s ect ion is w e ll cover ed . I n p a r t I V, w h ich em p h a s izes r isk a s s es sm en t , t h e r ea d er is in t r od u ced t o food a d d it ives a n d s olven t s a s w e ll a s p es t icid es . O n e ve r y u se fu l a sp ect of t h is b ook is t h a t a good d ea l of in for m a t ion is con d en s ed in t a b les w it h in a n d a t t h e en d of t h e ch a p t e r s . T h e r e fe r en ces a r e a ll p e r t in en t a n d h a ve b een u p d a t ed . D r. L u d oes exp ect t h a t t h e r ea d er w ill h a ve som e k n ow led ge of a n a t om y a n d p h ys iology, for h e u ses a n u m ber of s cien t i ® c t e r m s w it h ou t d e ® n in g t h em . P e r h a p s a s h or t g los sa r y of t e r m s w ou ld h a ve been h e lp fu l for t h e n ew r ea d er.