Toxicity
Toxicity
Living beings are like machines with trillions of precisely moving parts. Toxins are substances that disrupt the normal functioning of parts of a living organisms body in a dose-dependent manner in small amounts. The amount of the toxin is crucial. If toxins didn’t require acting at relatively small doses, we’d have to call everything a toxin, because every chemical on the planet can be toxic if enough of it enters your body. Toxicology is the study of abnormal effects that occur in living organisms due to chemicals. Toxicity is the degree which a substance can harm living things. The severity of the toxicity depends on the organism.
The toxicity of a chemical varies from one animal to the next. LD50 is the amount of a hazardous substance that results in the death of 50 percent of the individuals exposed. LD50 is commonly measured by exposing rats or mice to increasing amounts of the toxic substance until a dosage is reached that kills half the exposed animals within a certain time period, which is usually 14 days. The LD50 for the common insecticide Diazinon is 300 to 400 mg in rats, while in birds it is 2.75 mg. Although largely extrapolated from animal tests, a rating system for acute chemical toxicity for humans has been devised. The comparison of two substances in terms of their relative toxicity is difficult because every substance has its own mode of action. The short-term poisoning potential (acute toxicity) of a substance is measured by the amount needed to kill half the population of a test species, called the LD50. Although traditional investigations into the toxicity of chemicals in the natural environment have focused on animals, the toxicity of environmental pollutants to plants has gained interest. Despite being well documented in literature, the toxicity of plants is measured in various ways by plant scientists, or agronomists.
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| Theobromine, a chemical found in chocolate, is toxic to dogs but not to rodents. |
One of the most common substances when we think of poison is venom. Venom is a poison that comes from animals such as snakes and spiders through either fangs or teeth. There is a big controversy on whether venom is poison because it has to be injected into the skin. Fierce Snake or Inland Taipan, Australia. This has the most toxic venom of any snake. Maximum yield recorded (for one bite) is 110 mg. That would probably be enough to kill over 100 people or 250,000 mice.
Toxins, poisons and chemicals can cause peripheral neuropathy. This can happen through long exposure to environmental chemicals. Common toxins that cause neuropathy include: exposure to lead, mercury, arsenic and thalium. Even some organic insecticides can result in neuropathies. Sniffing glue or other toxic compounds can also cause peripheral neuropathy. Certain herbal medicines, especially Chinese herbal medicines, are particularly rich in mercury and arsenic and taking them can lead to peripheral neuropathy. Many scientists are conducting research to further solutions to peripheral neuropathy, and they are discovering new diseases related to toxins, chemicals, and venom.
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