Week 16: Lessons 46, 47, 48 TOXICOLOGY

(a) Pollution and its types (water, air, food)

(b) Poison and principle of treatment of poisoning.

(c) Poisoning (Sign & symptom and treatment): Ethanol, Barbiturates, Digitalis, Salicylates, Strychnine, Narcotics, Nicotine, Paracetamol, Benzodiazepines and organophosphorous compounds.

(d) Chelating agents and their role in poisoning: Dimercaprol, Calcium disodium edentate (Calcium EDTA), Pencillamine and Defroxamine

 

Some metals such as iron are essential for life, whereas others such as lead are present in all organisms but serve no useful biologic purpose. Some of the oldest diseases of humans can be traced to heavy metal poisoning associated with metal mining, refining, and use. Even with the present recognition of the hazards of heavy metals, the incidence of intoxication remains significant, and the need for preventive strategies and effective therapy remains high. Toxic heavy metals interfere with the function of essential cations, cause enzyme inhibition, generate oxidative stress, and alter gene expression. As a result, multisystem signs and symptoms are a hallmark of heavy metal intoxication.  When intoxication occurs, chelator molecules (from  chela  “claw”), or their in vivo biotransformation products, may be used to bind the metal and facilitate its excretion from the body.

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