Scope of toxicology:

• Toxicology is a multidisciplinary science that deals with study of harmful actions of chemical substances on biological material.
• To study the toxic effects and behavior of toxic substances, thorough understanding of anatomy, histology, biochemistry, pathology, and analytical chemistry is important.
• Also, integration of cell biology, immunology, molecular biology, and organic chemistry is must for proper understanding of toxicological process and mechanisms.

Over the years, various specialized subdisciplines of toxicology have been recognized:

Clinical toxicology:It is study of effects of poisons/toxicants on animals, human beings and other living organisms, their diagnosis and treatment and methods of their detection.

Toxicoepidemiology: It refers to study of quantitative analysis of toxicity incidences in organism, factors affecting toxicity, species involved and use of knowledge in planning of prevention and control strategies.

Nutritional toxicology: Study of toxicological aspects of food/feedstuffs.

Environmental toxicology: Study of effects of toxicants on health and environment from pesticides, herbicides, industrial effluents.

Analytical toxicology: Application of analytical chemistry tools in the quantitative and qualitative estimation of agents involved in the process of toxicity.

Occupational toxicology: Study of occupational hazards associated with individuals working in particular industry and their correlation with possible toxicants and also the possible remedial measures.

Ecotoxicology:Study of fate and effects of toxic substances on ecosystem

Forensic toxicology:Study of unlawful use of toxic agents and their detection for judicial purposes.

Reproductive toxicology:Study of occurrence of adverse effects on the male or female reproductive system due to exposure to chemical or physical agents.

Developmental toxicology:Study of adverse effects of toxins on developing organism occurring anytime during lifespan of organism.

Teratology:Study of malformations induced by toxic agents during development between conception and birth.

Toxicokinetics: Process of absorption, distribution, biotransformation and excretion of toxicants in relation to time.

Toxicodynamics: Study of biochemical and physiological effects of toxicants and their mechanism of action. It also comprises sequence of events after interaction of toxicants with target molecules.