Experimental toxicological studies have offered clear evidence that benzene induces haematopoietic neoplasms, and it is generally accepted that exposure to benzene is a risk factor for leukaemia, in particular for acute non-lymphatic leukaemia. Quantitative aspects of benzene risk assessment are still a matter of controversy, however. In several risk assessments an estimated 50 deaths from leuk...

Prediction of noncancer toxicologic outcomes in rodent bioassays of 37 chemicals from the National Toxicology Program was evaluated. Using the nonneoplastic lesions noted by NTP pathologists, we evaluate both agreement in toxic lesions across experiments and the predictive value of the presence (or absence) of a lesion in one group for other groups. We compare lesions between mice and rats, mal...

saffron (crocus sativus l.) has been considered as a medicinal plant since ancient times and also widely used as food additive for its color, taste and odor. the pharmacological properties of saffron and its main constituents, crocin and safranal have been evaluated using different in vivo and in vitro models. additionally, other lines of studies have found toxicological effects of saffron.  ho...

The recent review of Stevia [1] contributes to furthering the scientific database of stevia (leaf and extract), steviol glycosides, and steviol and their applications in food and beverages. The article discussed these compounds in relation to perceived pharmacological activity, their potential use as therapeutic agents, and available toxicological and clinical evidence to support safety. While ...

Endocrine disrupting chemicals pose a significant threat to human health, society and the environment. Many of these chemicals elicit their toxicological effects through nuclear hormone receptors, like the estrogen receptor. Computational tools for predicting receptor mediated effects have been envisaged for their potential to be used for prioritization of chemicals for toxicological evaluation...

Flavonoids are secondary plant compounds that mediate diverse biological activities, for example, by scavenging free radicals and modulating intracellular signalling pathways. It has been shown in various studies that distinct flavonoid compounds enhance stress resistance and even prolong the life span of organisms. In the last years the model organism C. elegans has gained increasing importanc...

The design of toxicological testing strategies aimed at identifying the toxic effects of chemicals without (or with a minimal) recourse to animal experimentation is an important issue for toxicological regulations and for industrial decision-making. This article describes an original approach which enables the design of substance-tailored testing strategies with a specified performance in terms...

CHATURVEDI AK, CRAFT KJ, CANFIELD DV, WHINNERY JE. Toxicological findings from 1587 civil aviation accident pilot fatalities, 1999–2003. Aviat Space Environ Med 2005; 76:1145–50. Introduction: The prevalence of drug and ethanol use in aviation is monitored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Under such monitoring, toxicological studies for the 1989–1993 and 1994–1998 periods indicated...

The consumption of medicinal plants has notably increased over the past two decades. People consider herbal products as safe because of their natural origin, without taking into consideration whether these plants contain a toxic principle. This represents a serious health problem. A bibliographic search was carried out using published scientific material on native plants from Mexico, Central Am...