An introductory textbook on toxicology for undergraduate and graduate students and for novice toxicologists and scientists who want an overview of the field without having to pay for and wade through a specialized tome. Intended for readers with a wide variety of backgrounds, and so assumes no more than knowledge of basic scientific principles and terms. Some details have been changed, and the references updated since the 1988 edition. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Reviewer: Rosemary M Caron, PhD, MPH (MGH Institute of Health Professions)
Description: This fourth edition book addresses dose-response relationships, exposure-response relationships, metabolism, target organ toxicity, and updated concepts in toxicity testing. It balances presenting fundamental principles of toxicology with historical, yet relevant examples. The newest edition includes chapter learning objectives, summaries, notes, and questions and answers for toxicology students. The previous edition was published in 2002, making this a much-needed edition.
Purpose: This book is intended to serve as an introductory level textbook that covers the basic principles of toxicology. It meets this objective in that it concisely addresses the fundamentals of exposure, dose, response, and their relationship in vivo. It also addresses current concerns about the impact on human and environmental health, as well as animal welfare from industrial toxins, carcinogens, therapeutic drugs, herbicides, and pesticides, thus demonstrating the applicability of this ancient science to today's society.
Audience: This is an introductory level book for undergraduate and graduate students as well as healthcare students and professionals. Due to the book's concise yet comprehensive presentation of basic toxicology principles and useful examples, it would also be beneficial for environmental scientists, chemists, chemical engineers, medical biologists, and those working in regulatory agencies. The book is authored by two renowned scholars in the field of toxicology. Dr. John Timbrell is Emeritus Professor of biochemical toxicology at King's College in London. Dr. Frank Barile is a retired Professor in the Toxicology Division and past Chairman of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at St. John's University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in New York.
Features: The book comprises 15 chapters, including nine new chapters to this edition. It is well-organized, covering the basic principles of toxicology in the early sections, while application of toxicology (e.g., drugs as toxic substances, industrial toxicology, food additives, and contaminants) makes up the latter chapters. The text is interspersed with well-diagrammed figures and tables, and keywords are bolded. The narrative is well-written and presented in a sectioned format to help with comprehension of the material. Each chapter concludes with a summary and learning objectives, review and short answer questions, notes, bibliography, and suggested readings. An answer guide for the questions is included at the end of the book. The book also includes a glossary and index. The book is 316 pages and sufficiently introduces the field of toxicology to beginner students. Special emphasis is placed on risk assessment, toxicokinetics, pharmacological and toxicological mechanism of action, detection and identification of chemicals in the body. Additional contemporary topics covered include means of exposure to therapeutic and non-therapeutic agents as well as their management and remedies.
Assessment: This book is a welcome addition to the field of toxicology. It not only presents the basic principles of toxicology in a concise, easily understood format that complements the requisite narrative with explanatory figures, tables, and examples, but it also addresses current societal concerns about the impact of toxicants and toxins on our ecosystem, food systems, and our indoor environments. This edition expands into the areas of risk assessment and toxicity testing, which utilizes other scientific disciplines. The book is easy to navigate, and the updated content broadens the utility of the book as an introductory reference.