Publisher's Synopsis
Originally founded in Victorian times, Toxicology is now a major scientific discipline. It encompasses physiology, biochemistry, cell biology, anatomy and pharmacology. The new techniques of genomics and proteomics will allow the elucidation of toxicity at the molecular level and the tailoring of drugs and treatment regimens for the individual patient. Just as they are now tested for blood grouping prior to transfusion, in the near future patients will be phenotyped/genotyped for the main pathways of drug metabolism prior to therapy. Furthermore, understanding of how environmental toxicants really exert their effects will enable the design of compounds which will have a long-term cytoprotective effect. Since the major degenerative disorders, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are all the result of environmental interactions with susceptible genetic bases, this will have a particularly dramatic effect on human health.;Against this exciting background, "Toxicity and Toxicology" aims to be a comprehensive text which will be of value not only to medical and science students but also to career toxicologists and all who work within the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. It will review the main areas of toxicology using modern thinking and new knowledge to explain the cellular mechanisms by which toxic reactions take place. It will incorporate the clinical side of toxicology and make use of extensive illustrative material and case-histories. All the authors are practising toxicologists and aim to make this fascinating and increasingly important field accessible to a wide range of students and professionals while conveying their own enthusiasm for the subject.
