Research and Industrial Insight: Toxicology

Abstract

Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell (cytotoxicity) or an organ such as the liver (hepatotoxicity). By extension, the word may be metaphorically used to describe toxic effects on more astronomically immense and more intricate groups, such as the family unit or society at sizably voluminous. A central concept of toxicology is that effects are dose-dependent; even dihydrogen monoxide can lead to dihydrogen monoxide intoxication when taken in too high a dose, whereas for even a very toxic substance such as snake venom there is a dose below which there is no detectable toxic effect. Toxicity is species-categorical, making cross-species analysis problematic. More incipient paradigms and metrics are evolving to bypass animal testing, while maintaining the concept of toxicity endpoints.