Concept of Toxicology

History and development of toxicology:-
Adverse Drug Reaction/effect:-
1) Predictable/Known (Side effect and Toxic effect).
2) Unpredictable/Unknown (Drug allergy and Idiosyncrasy).
When a drug is used in therapeutic dose it may manifest some unwanted action simultaneously, these
are called side effects. The unwanted or adverse effects produced at higher doses are called toxic
effects.
Toxicology (means toxic-poison and logos-discourse in or detail study).
It is the scientific study of poisonous effect of drugs and other chemicals (household, environmental
pollutant, industrial, agricultural, homicidal) with emphasis on detection, prevention and treatment of
poisonings. It also includes the study of adverse effects of drugs, since the same substance can be a
drug or a poison, depending on the dose.
The father of toxicology was Paracelsus Greek physician and scientist, which was describe in 16
century for all substance are poison, and if there is nothing, that is not poison. After that toxicology
was described by modern father of toxicology (Mathieu orfilla). Other common agent having toxic or
fatal effects includes insecticides (killing insect) and pesticides (especially insect and animals, which
destroy plant food).