Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “TOXICOLOGY”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Toxicologic assessments in acute heroin fatalities.

The recent improvements in analytic methods enable routine morphine detection in blood in microgram or nanogram quantities. It is now possible to assess acute death from heroin use by toxicologic analyses. A review of available data indicates a rapid distribution of morphine even in sudden fatalities, to the various organs of the body. Blood morphine levels in most acute heroin-involved deaths range from 0.1 to 1.0 microgram/ml, while morphine concentration in liver ranges from 0.1 to 10.0 microgram/gm. In rapid death, the blood to liver ratio is approximately 1:5. Blood and liver appear to be the specimens of choice in determining fatality due to heroin; however a distribution study that included other tissues such as brain, bile, and urine would afford a more meaningful evaluation in forensic investigation. The correlation of the survival periods of decedents to concentrations of morphine in tissues is discussed. Since morphine concentration decreases precipitously in antemortem blood immediately after administration of heroin, the assurance of detecting and determining morphine is greater in blood specimens from decedents who died within 1 hr after drug taking than from those who survived for a longer period. Blood levels of morphine also appear to be regulated by dosage. The role of ethanol and other drugs, including excipients in illicit heroin preparations, in acute narcotism is still poorly understood. Morphine is produced in the antemortem metabolism of codeine. A close evaluation of toxicologic data is necessary to determine whether the morphine detected, if a metabolite, is a conversion product of codeine, heroin, or both. In any event, the cause of death involving heroin is determined only after information from history and pathology, as well as toxicology, are carefully correlated.

Biotransformation↗
PubMed1978

Toxicologic properties of fluorescent whitening agents.

From the collection of toxicologic data, it is seen that the fluorescent whitening agents are a well-investigated class of compounds. Only in one of the groups of compounds investigated did it appear advisable to discontinue the use of a particular product on the basis of the toxicologic findings. In the large number of the other cases, the findings indicate that there is a considerable degree of toxicologic safety in the use of the FWAs in soap and detergent products.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Toxicological significance of pesticide conjugates.

Products formed by the reaction of pesticides and their metabolites with endogenous chemicals (glucose, glucuronic acid, sulfate, glutathione, amino acid, etc.) are referred to as pesticide conjugates. Evidence to date suggests that this is a detoxification process since the resulting products are polar and usually rapidly eliminated from the body. However, very little is known about their acute toxicity, and almost nothing concerning the effects of chronic dietary exposure of animals to these materials. Though conjugates may be formed in vivo by animals administered the parent pesticide, this hardly can be considered an adequate means of assessing their toxic properties. Pesticide metabolites formed by primary metabolic reactions are often evaluated individually in both acute and subchronic toxicity tests, but similar experiments are not conducted with conjugates. To assume that pesticide conjugates are toxicologically insignificant is unsound scientifically, although the rationale for such an assumption is not completely without merit. Many polar compounds are inactive but many, including some conjugates, are biologically active and indeed may be very toxic. While elaborate toxicological investigations of all pesticide conjugates do not appear warranted, there is a clear need to strengthen the data base relative to their potential toxicological significance. Extensive investigations of selected model compounds, representing different pesticide groups and conjugate types, are in order if the issue is to be placed in proper perspective relative to the total safety evaluation of pesticidal chemicals.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Methadone in pregnancy: clinical-toxicological aspects.

The authors describe their experience with methadone treatment in pregnancy. Thirteen abuser pregnant women were studied under defined obstetrical and toxicological protocol. Newborns were also included in this study. In some cases a complete adherence to therapeutic program, allowing labour under very low methadone dosage (5 mg/day), minimized toxicological neonatal risk. Withdrawal syndrome in newborns was well controlled pharmacologically. The role of the toxicological laboratory during clinical management of drug dependent pregnant women is also discussed.

Female↗
PubMed1987

Cocaine detection during toxicology screening of a university medical center patient population.

The frequency of detection of cocaine and/or its major metabolite, benzoylecgonine, during toxicology screening of a university medical center patient population was evaluated by retrospective review of the results of the 2,200 toxicology screens performed during 1986 on either urine or urine in conjunction with blood. Of these screens, 234 (10%) were positive for cocaine and/or its metabolite--a substantial increase from the 1% noted for the year 1978 at this medical center. Men and women were represented equally with the most common age range being 21 to 30 years for both. Most adults (64%) were located on either the obstetrics or the trauma services. In 37 instances cocaine was detected in neonates, presumably due to transplacental transmission. Cocaine and/or its metabolite were found either alone or in combination with other drugs with about equal frequency. The most common other drugs were ethanol, morphine, amphetamine, methamphetaine, and phencyclidine. Cocaine detection increased throughout the study period with 68% of positives occurring from July through December 1986. Analysis of cocaine and/or benzoylecgonine should be an integral part of toxicology screening performed on a university medical center patient population.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Phencyclidine detection during toxicology testing of a university medical center patient population.

The rate of detection of phencyclidine during toxicology testing of a university medical center patient population was studied by retrospective review of the results of 6,870 toxicology panels performed on urine during the period September 1, 1984 to September 1, 1987. The rate was compared with that noted in earlier studies of drug detection at this institution. For the three-year period, 91 panels (1.3%) involving 82 individuals were positive for phencyclidine: men, 49 cases; women, 15 cases; children, 10 cases; and neonates, 8 cases. The typical user was a 25 year old Hispanic or Black man who had ingested phencyclidine alone or in combination with at least one other drug (usually ethanol or cocaine) and who had been admitted to the trauma service. Despite use of the same analytical methodology and increased ordering of toxicology tests during the study period, the frequency of phencyclidine detection decreased during each year of the study (1984-85, 2.3% of 1,280 panels; 1985-86, 1.5% of 1,956 panels; and 1986-87, 0.9% of 3,634 panels). These figures are substantially lower than the 5% rate noted in our study of emergency room patients in 1979. These data suggest that the use of phencyclidine may be decreasing, possibly due to increase in abuse of other drugs such as cocaine and the amphetamines and to the more stringent restrictions placed upon phencyclidine synthesis. About half of the phencyclidine-positive findings occurred in trauma patients, suggesting the particular importance of searching for the drug in this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

[Alcohol related hospitalization in the Department of Clinical Toxicology and Medicine Detoxification Ward of the Krakow Special Hospital of J. Babinski in Krakow].

The patients hospitalised because of acute ethanol intoxication or ethanol withdrawal syndrome at the Kraków Department of Clinical Toxicology and Detoxification Ward of J. Babiński Specialistic Hospital in the years 1997-2000 were subjected to the study. A significant increase in number of ethanol related hospitalisation was noted at the Department of Clinical Toxicology (from 1381 patients in year 1997 up to 1771 in year 2000), and at the Detoxification Ward of Babiński Hospital from 369 in 1997 and 849 patients in 2000 respectively. A significant increase in number of ethanol dependent patients admitted to the Department of Clinical Toxicology because of acute ethanol intoxication and the patients hospitalised because of ethanol withdrawal syndrome or signs of delirium tremens was noted. The same and even stronger trends in hospitalisation, particularly of those ethanol addicts presenting clinical symptoms of acute ethanol intoxication were observed at the Detoxification Ward of Babiński Hospital.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical, pathologic, and toxicologic findings in asthma deaths in Cook County, Illinois.

To identify factors contributing to asthma mortality and improve our understanding of airway pathology in fatal asthma, we studied 44 cases of fatal asthma using records of one pathologist in the Office of the Medical Examiner. Records included death certificates, autopsies, toxicology, accounts by family and friends of the terminal episode, medical history of the deceased, police and paramedic reports, and hospital charts. Additionally, we interviewed by telephone surviving family and friends. Six (17%) of 35 patients were using inhaled corticosteroids at time of death. Of the nine patients who had seen a physician within 2 weeks of death, two were using corticosteroids. Toxicology was positive in 16 (38%) of 42 cases. Of the 20 patients with sudden-onset asthma (prodrome of increasing symptoms < 1 hour before death), 9 (45%) had positive toxicology. Patients with both sudden-onset and slow-onset asthma (prodrome > 3 hours before death) had airway mucosal or submucosal eosinophilic or neutrophilic infiltrates or both, as well as airways with and without mucus plugging. These findings indicate that asthma deaths are confounded by substance abuse and lack of anti-inflammatory therapy, and there is a heterogeneity in histological findings in sudden-onset and slow-onset asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Toxicology and carcinogenesis studies of naphthalene (cas no. 91-20-3) in F344/N rats (inhalation studies).

UNLABELLED: Naphthalene is used as an intermediate in the synthesis of phthalic and anthranilic acids, naphthols, naphthylamines, sulfonic acid, synthetic resins, celluloid, and hydronaphthalenes; it is also used in the preparation of anthraquinone, indigo, salicylic acid, and 1-naphthyl-N-methylcarbamate insecticide. It is an ingredient in some moth repellants and toilet bowl deodorants; it is also used in veterinary medicine in antiseptics for irrigating animal wounds and as an external medication to control lice on livestock and poultry. Naphthalene was selected for study by the National Toxicology Program because previous inhalation studies with naphthalene in mice were positive and existing studies in rats were either considered inadequate or were conducted via routes other than inhalation. Male and female F344/N rats were exposed to naphthalene (greater than 99% pure) by inhalation for 2 years. Genetic toxicology studies were conducted in Salmonella typhimurium and cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells. 2-YEAR STUDY: Groups of 49 male and 49 female rats were exposed to naphthalene by inhalation at concentrations of 0, 10, 30, or 60 ppm for 6 hours plus T90 (12 minutes) per day, 5 days per week for 105 weeks. Additional groups of nine male and nine female rats were exposed to 10, 30, or 60 ppm for up to 18 months for evaluation of toxicokinetic parameters. Survival, Body Weights, and Gross Observations: The survival of all exposed groups of male and female rats was similar to that of the chamber controls. Mean body weights of all exposed groups of males were less than those of the chamber control group throughout most of the study. Masses were observed in the nose of male and female rats. These masses frequently partially occluded the nasal passages or obliterated the normal architecture of the nasal turbinates. Pathology Findings: The incidences of neuroblastoma of the olfactory epithelium, a rare neoplasm, occurred with positive trends in males and females. Because this neoplasm did not occur in chamber control rats or in male rats exposed to 10 ppm and because this neoplasm has not been seen in the historical chamber control rats in NTP 2-year inhalation studies, the increased incidences of neuroblastoma were considered to be related to naphthalene exposure. In males, the incidences of adenoma of the respiratory epithelium of the nose, another rare neoplasm, occurred with a positive trend and were significantly increased in all exposed groups; none occurred in the chamber controls. In females, these neoplasms occurred in the 30 and 60 ppm groups but not in the chamber control or 10 ppm groups. Because these neoplasms did not occur in the chamber controls and have not been observed in the historical chamber control rats in NTP 2-year inhalation studies, the incidences of nasal adenoma were considered to be related to naphthalene exposure. Increased incidences of nonneoplastic lesions of the nose associated with exposure to naphthalene included atypical hyperplasia, atrophy, chronic inflammation, and hyaline degeneration of the olfactory epithelium; hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia, hyaline degeneration, and goblet cell hyperplasia of the respiratory epithelium; and glandular hyperplasia and squamous metaplasia. Toxicokinetic Results Model: A physiologically based toxicokinetic model was developed to characterize the disposition of inhaled naphthalene in rats. Because of its low vapor pressure and high blood-to-air partition coefficient, essentially all of the naphthalene that is absorbed into the general circulation is metabolized. At the exposure concentrations used in the 2-year study, approximately 20% to 30% of the inhaled dose was metabolized by male and female rats. Naphthalene that was not absorbed during exposure was assumed to be exhaled. The respective estimated daily doses metabolized by rats exposed to 10, 30, or 60 ppm for 6 hours (i.e., the internalized doses) are 3.6, 10.7, and 20.1 mg naphthalene/kg body weight for males and 3.9, 11.4, and 20.6 mg/kg for females. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY: Naphthalene was not mutagenic in any of four strains of Salmonella typhimurium with or without induced liver S9 enzymes. However, in cytogenetic tests with cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells, naphthalene induced significant increases in sister chromatid exchanges with and without metabolic activation (S9) and in chromosomal aberrations with S9. Naphthalene did not induce chromosomal aberrations in the absence of S9 activation. CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of this 2-year inhalation study, there was clear evidence of carcinogenic activity of naphthalene in male and female F344/N rats based on increased incidences of respiratory epithelial adenoma and olfactory epithelial neuroblastoma of the nose. In male and female rats, exposure to naphthalene caused significant increases in the incidences of non-neoplstic lesions of the nose.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed2002

[Acute toxicological cases during a ten-year period in our clinic].

INTRODUCTION: There's a fact, that Hungary has held the first places in suicidal statstics. METHODS: The authors studied toxicological cases between 1989 and 1998 at the 1st Department of Medicine of the Medical and Health Science Centre, at the University of Debrecen, paying special attention to suicidal poisoning cases. RESULTS: 2% of the patient turnover accounted for acute poisoning cases, the number of which increased during the 10 years in question. 70% of the cases were of suicidal intentions, 20% were unintentional, these poisonings were not committed on purpose, while the proportion of iatrogenic intoxication cases was 10%. Amongst the failed suicide cases there was a higher proportion of women, whereas a higher percentage of men accounted for "successful" suicide cases. When examining auto-intoxication cases it turned out that the medicine most frequently used was meprobamate, besides benzodiazepines. Mortality rate was highest in the glutethimide intoxication cases. Most poisonings with suicidal intentions took place in the 2nd quarter of the year. Most completed suicides were committed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 81% of the iatrogenic intoxication cases happened to be with digitalis and coumarin overdose. Nearly 50% of the cases turned out to be combined intoxications. 40% of the men took alcoholic drinks during the auto-intoxications. In the case of 135 patients extracorporeal detoxification therapy was applied, which consisted mostly of hemoperfusion. Three quarters of the patients needed psychiatric care and every fourth patient was admitted to the Department of Psychiatry. 6.9% of the poisonings were fatal. CONCLUSIONS: The growing number of toxicological cases--amongst these suicidal poisonings--compels us to pay more attention to the setting up of interdisciplinary based prevention as well as running effective toxicological centres. All physicians have a responsibility to recommend psychiatric care for people suffering from mental problems or depression and for the unsuccessful or potential suicide seeking help for the first time. Family doctors in primary medical care and who meet patients first have an important role in this job.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Neuropsychological toxicology: identification and assessment of neurotoxic syndromes.

Neuropsychological toxicology, or, more commonly, "neurobehavioral toxicology" is the study of how naturally or industrially produced nervous system poisons effect neuropsychological functioning. Research of this sort has been widely disseminated in European and Scandinavian medical literature during the past two decades but is only just beginning to enter neuropsychological literature of the United States. Neuropsychological sequelae of several representative human neurotoxins are briefly reviewed, including metallic lead, the solvent toluene, organophosphate pesticides and antihypertensive medication. These substances represent exemplars from some of the major classes of potentially neurotoxic substances; metals, solvents, pesticides, and prescription drugs. They are also examples of neurotoxins that have been examined with neuropsychological methods and for which neuropsychological symptoms or syndromes have been discovered. Testing procedures sensitive to neurotoxic exposure are also summarized. The role of the neuropsychologist as neurobehavioral toxicologist is explored. It is suggested that the neuropsychologist is in a unique position to perform research and clinical evaluations relating to neurotoxic exposure, and that the sub-clinical effects of neurotoxic exposure may be most sensitively discovered with these methods. Further, neurotoxic effects may be subject to misdiagnosis without knowledge of how to examine for these substances. The future expansion of neuropsychology into "neuropsychological toxicology" is advocated.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Toxicological considerations in the application and interpretation of susceptibility biomarkers in epidemiological studies.

With major advances in genotyping technology, it has become practical and affordable to screen biological samples for multiple polymorphisms for which there is more or less knowledge about their functional relevance in relation to toxicological agents or disease. This situation creates some unique epidemiological challenges in which careful consideration of the mechanisms underlying genotype-disease and genotype-exposure-disease relationships, or the lack of knowledge thereof, may help to prevent false-positive results or misinterpretation of data that could mislead future research. Coordination and linkage of data resources on toxicological exposures, genes and disease would be useful as an integrated source of information to devise study design, analysis and interpretation. Such a database could be useful in collating information from which to determine relevant exposures for the disease and to guide the selection of susceptibility markers for study. Further information on toxicological mechanisms and functional relevance of gene variants in relation to disease could be accounted for in statistical analyses and interpretation. Statistical methods that can incorporate this prior information on mechanism, such as hierarchical regression modelling, may help to mitigate some of the problems inherent to these studies by adjusting estimates and confidence limits according to this prior information. Even in the situation where little information on etiological mechanisms is available, application of a less informed prior can be beneficial in improving the accuracy and precision for an ensemble of estimates. The changing paradigm of epidemiological research with regard to increasing detail of underlying mechanisms and the sheer amount of data being evaluated necessitates access to sources of information and analytic methods that can integrate this complexity.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1992

Toxicology consultation fees to health care facilities: a successful revenue generating program for poison centers.

Poison information center funding is a continuous problem and is growing more critical as cost containment effects the health care industry. Although a limited number of poison centers are partially funded by governmental agencies, general poison center operational support is derived from a variety of sources, and there is significant pressure upon centers to identify alternative funding sources. Affiliated members of our member hospital treatment network have provided one revenue source, but not all hospitals within our service region have subscribed. Furthermore, hospitals outside of our service region have utilized the service without any financial responsibility despite recommendations to use their local center. Therefore, to provide an incentive for local hospitals to subscribe to the service and to dissuade hospitals from outside of the region from using the service, we implemented a toxicology consultative fee for service on all calls emanating from non-member hospitals. In just 19 mo, recruitment of 16 new member hospitals has generated $65,150 additional revenue. Non-member hospitals electing not to affiliate but to remunerate for toxicology consultations (226 cases) have generated $20,400 (98% collection rate). A startling 95% reduction in calls from hospital outside of region has resulted since this fiduciary initiative began. New revenue totaling $85,550 has been generated by establishment of a toxicology consultation fee, and our staff is now able to dedicate priceless time and resources to the poison information needs of the residents of our region.

Fees and Charges↗
PubMed2004

[Applications of flow cytometry in toxicological test].

Flow cytometry (FC) gained attention as a powerful high-throughput and multiparameter technology for the analysis of molecular and cell events in biological testing. With the developing of the instrument capability and the improving of the detection methods. FC has been becoming a more important tool both for research and clinical testing practice. FC has also been used in many toxicological experiments, which greatly promotes the progress of toxicological techniques. In this paper, the recent progress on the flow cytometric approach used in toxicological detection was reviewed.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Methods for the prediction of breeding success in male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) used for reproductive toxicology studies.

The cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) may be the species of choice for nonclinical reproductive toxicology studies because of the comparability of its reproductive processes to man, similarity of pharmacologic response to various test substances, and decreased probability of immunogenic response to biological therapeutic products. For success in conducting these studies, the male and female monkeys used need to be characterized thoroughly. This study focused on the evaluation of 42 male cynomolgus monkeys as potential breeders for reproductive toxicology studies. Parameters evaluated included age, body weight, testicular volume, serum testosterone levels, ejaculate volume, and sperm parameters (count, motility, and morphology). The results showed that physical parameters (age, body weight, testicular volume) were a good starting point for selection of potential breeder males. However, additional endpoints (testosterone; ejaculate volume; sperm count, motility and morphology; mating behavior) were also helpful as part of an overall "weight of evidence" approach to optimize selection of breeder males. In light of the data obtained in this study, 29 of 42 of the males evaluated were used with excellent success as breeder males for reproductive toxicology studies, resulting in an overall pregnancy rate of 36% when mated with sexually mature females. The successful breeder males were at least 6 y old, weighed at least 5 kg, had testicular volumes of at least 25 ml and serum testosterone levels of 1 to 10 ng/ml, and produced ejaculates with large numbers of sperm (median: 502 x 10(6) per ejaculate) of high quality (few morphologic defects and most sperm highly motile).

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Toxicology testing and results for suicide victims--13 states, 2004.

In 2003, an estimated 31,484 suicides (10.7 per 100,000 population) occurred in the United States. Suicide was the fourth leading cause of death among persons aged 10-64 years and the second and third leading causes of death among persons aged 25-34 and 10-24 years, respectively. Few studies have attempted to determine the contribution of substance use to suicide. To assess toxicology testing practices and to determine the prevalence of positive results for alcohol or other drugs, CDC analyzed test results of suicide victims in the 13 states that collected data for the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) in 2004. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which determined that 1) the percentage of suicide victims tested varied among states, ranging from 25.9% to 97.7%; 2) of those victims tested, 33.3% were positive for alcohol, and 16.4% were positive for opiates; and 3) similar percentages of poisoning suicide (i.e., suspected intentional overdose) and nonpoisoning suicide victims tested positive for alcohol or other drugs, with the exception of opiates. These results underscore the need to continue monitoring toxicology test results of suicide victims, which might identify patterns of substance use that can help guide development of effective suicide interventions. Such data can be enhanced by uniform, comprehensive, toxicology testing practices on a state and national basis.

Humans↗
PubMed1991

[Toxicological assessment. A solid basis for preventive health care? Considerations on the preventive character of guidelines for (heavy) metal contamination of children's playgrounds].

The present report discusses the standard limit reference values for metal content of playgrounds, set by the authorities in North-Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen. Taking the metals arsenic, lead and cadmium as an example, the causative role of region specific conditions for establishing the limit values for protective measures are described. Essentially, two factors influence the decision: 1. the background concentrations of metals in sand and soils differ between the various states; 2. there is a lack of a uniform concept for the quantitative evaluation of oral intake as a main route of ingestion of metals endangering the health of children on child playgrounds. Due to insufficient data, arbitrary assumptions in respect of intake, relevant age group or playing-time on playgrounds are made. From a toxicological point of view the standard limit values, exceed the span of toxicological tolerance, in an attempt to combine pragmatic and toxicological considerations. However, only few of these values agree with the basic principles of preventive care.

Arsenic↗
PubMed1989

Toxicology screening in urban trauma patients: drug prevalence and its relationship to trauma severity and management.

Although toxicology screening is often used when treating trauma patients, its utility and significance remain controversial. Data from 623 toxicology screens performed in urban trauma center patients with mental status alterations are reported. The study patients were predominantly black and male, with a mean age of 32 (+/- 22) years. Overall, 86% of screens were positive. Substances of abuse, including ethanol, were noted in 525 (84%) of urine toxicology screens. Ethanol, cannabinoids, and cocaine were the drugs most commonly found in urine, with positivity noted in 53%, 37%, and 34% of screens. Serum analysis was 44% positive, with ethanol noted in 41% of patients. In blacks, the odds ratio of illicit drug use before trauma ranged from 1.9 to 4.2 (p less than 0.005), and in those aged 17 to 40 years, the odds ratio for illicit urine drugs ranged from 4.7 to 16.8 (p less than 0.001). In patients older than 40 years, the odds of a positive serum ethanol level were 1.7 times greater than in younger patients, and a level above 300 mg% was 3.8 times more likely in this age group (p less than 0.001). When serum ethanol was detected, the odds ratio of a head injury was 1.4 relative to patients without serum ethanol (p less than 0.06), and the odds ratio for abdominal injury was 1.6 for patients with serum ethanol (p less than 0.03). The odds of a TS less than 12 were 1.8 (p less than 0.05), and the odds of a GCS less than 12 were 3.3 (p less than 0.001) with ethanol levels greater than 100 mg%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗