toxikologii

Toxicology, known in some languages as toxikologii, is the scientific discipline that studies the adverse effects of chemical, biological, and physical agents on living organisms and ecosystems, as well as the mechanisms underlying these effects.

It encompasses toxicokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) and toxicodynamics (the interactions of toxins with biological targets), exposure assessment, and dose–response relationships, all used to characterize hazard and risk.

Branches include clinical toxicology, environmental toxicology, industrial and occupational toxicology, regulatory toxicology, and forensic toxicology.

Methods include in vivo animal studies, in vitro assays, high-throughput screening, computational toxicology, and omics approaches; biomonitoring and pharmacokinetic modeling such as PBPK.

History and ethics are central to the field, tracing back to Paracelsus' principle that “the dose makes the poison,” and to the development of poison control, antidotes, and risk assessment; ethical considerations and the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) guide modern research.

Regulatory and public health aspects: toxicology informs regulation of pesticides, drugs, and chemicals; international and national agencies—such as WHO, EFSA, and EPA—conduct risk assessments and guide safety standards.

Future directions include nanotoxicology, toxicogenomics, computational toxicology, and integrated risk assessment, with ongoing emphasis on alternative testing methods, data sharing, and interdisciplinary collaboration to protect health and the environment.