Toxicological effects, general

Toxicology (effects, pathways and routes of exposure, general exposure hazards, latency period)... 

Many pharmaceuticals need more investigation about their potential long-term eco-toxicological effects. There is also a general lack of chronic toxicity data on pharmaceuticals, in particular in fish. Furthermore, the potential of combined effects of pharmaceutical mixtures should be addressed. 

The term repeated dose toxicity comprises the adverse general (i.e., excluding reproductive, genotoxic, or carcinogenic effects) toxicological effects occurring as a result of repeated daily dosing with, or exposure to, a substance for a part of the expected life span (subacute or subchronic exposure) or for the major part of the fife span, in case of chronic exposure (EC 2003). 

Other types of reproductive toxicity studies, e.g., the prenatal developmental toxicity study, the reproduction/developmental toxicity screening study, and the developmental neurotoxicity study (Section 4.10.3) may give some indications of general toxicological effects arising from repeated exposure over a relatively limited period of the animal s life span as clinical signs of toxicity and... 

This chapter deals with toxicology in general, including the routes of exposure and clinically observable effects of toxic substances. The information is presented primarily from the viewpoint of human exposure and readily observed detrimental effects of toxic substances on humans. To a somewhat lesser extent, this material applies to other mammals, especially those used as test organisms. It should be kept in mind that many of the same general principles discussed apply also... 

On a higher level, laboratory single-species tests can provide useful information to predict effects on natural populations because they describe how toxicological effects are translated into ecological currency (maturation, reproduction, and mortality). Many major taxa, however, remain poorly studied (e.g., soil fauna and snails), and the role of tested species for the ecosystems to be protected is generally unknown. 

---