D. E. Carter
and Quintus Fernando University of Arizona Tucson. 85721
I
Chemical Toxicology
I
Part I. Organic Compounds
There are a multitude o f degrees o f toxicity that range from mild irritation to death, all o f which may be based on specific adverse reactions to chemicals.
It is unfortunate that manv chemists are not familiar with the toxicity of common compounds that are used in the laboratorv. In the earlv nineteenth centurv newlv - svnthesized . compounds were tested by tasting the compound; since then chemists have made considerable progress in their appreciation and understanding of chemical to;icology. Our objective in this article is to bring to the attention of chemists the toxicological properties ofseveral important classes of organic and inorganic compounds. Even though the mechanisms of toxicity of the majority of compounds are not known and will probably not he determined for many years to come, the experimental methodology and the probable mechanisms of toxic action that will he described should provide an increased awareness of the problems in chemical toxicology. General Prlnclples There are a multitude of degrees of toxicity that range from mild irritation to death, all of which may he based on specific adverse reactions to chemicals. Descriptions may include undesirable nhvsioloeical effects such as central nervous " system depression accompanied hy drowziness, confusion, and stunor. I t mav include descri~tionsof specific orean damaee such as 1ive;cell death resilting in chemically induced henatitis. The extent of eve or skin irritation as well as the extent of sensitization that results in an allergic reaction are additional indices of toxicity. Descriptions of toxicity may also include the ability of a chemical compound to cause damage to a fetus via the mother who has been exposed to the compound (teratogenesis), ahility to alter the inherited genetic material in spermatozoa and ova (mutagenesis), ahility to cause cancer (carcinogenesis), or damage t o the nervous system (neurotoxicity). The most commonly measured toxic re-
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D. E. Carter, Associate Professor of Toxicology,has a joint appomtment in the Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona. He is also the Associate Director of the Toxicology Program. His research interests are primarily in the areas of pharmacokinetof drugs and toxins.
Quintus Fernando, Professor of CII.mo.lr\., h a - .? I 11111 appuintmtwl as I ' r ~ , t t - . ~ ~ r01 'I .,a~
