Endocrinology, Toxicology, and Drug Testing
Endocrinology
When I've first heard of the word endocrinology, the first thing that pops out of my mind are hormones.
Thereby, we can briefly define that endocrinology is one of the field of clinical chemistry wherein the types, characteristic, and functions of hormones are studied, analyzed, and interpreted to be used for clinical application or intervention.
First, Lets talk about hormones. Basically, hormones are chemicals that are released by an endocrine gland or organ such as the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland in the blood that will travel to its target cell and binds to its receptor and thereby accomplishing its function in it.
According to Bidy Kulkarni They are currently divided in three types which are protein hormones, aromatic amines, and the steroid hormones.
Growth, metabolism, and reproduction are some of the job of that hormones facilitate. They can be up-regulated or down-regulated depending on the need of the body.
Like in the blood, homeostasis in the production of hormones is also a big factor among them and it is a must to be.
Toxicology
Mainly, a person is said to be poisoned or toxicated when he has ingested a poisonous substance like chemicals, or hazardous elements. But as we tackle the concept of toxicology, our minds will be more broaden as we discuss the toxicity of this matter.
Parcelsus is the one who started the field of toxicology in the sixteenth century and also credited as "The Father of Toxicology.
According to Clinical Chemistry: Theory, Analysis, Correlation by Lawrence A. Kaplan and Amadeo Pesce, toxicology is concerned with the physical and chemical properties of posion, their physiologcial and behavioral effects on living organism, and treatment.
Toxicology is broad practice wherein it was divided now to three subfields, which is industrial toxicology, clinical toxicology, and forensic toxicology.
Just as Parcelsus said that all things are toxic, we can now refer that there are levels of toxicity that a person might encounter upon ingesting a particular toxic substance.
Toxicity are depend to certain factors such as time, amount or concentration, route of administration. These factors may give us information what will be the further condition of a person will be experiencing and how long it also may take.
Nowadays, drug testing is done rumphantly in the world everywhere for many kinds of purpose. Some are used in licensure, in athletics, and others for crime investigations.
Drug testing is the examination of certain body fluids that may contain a specific metabolite that is pursued to be specifically obtained.
Example of this drugs are barbiturates, cocaine, marijuana, and etc. These drugs are tested for their specific metabolites, which has also specific time wherein they will be currently present in the fluid to being analyzed.
There are a lots of procedure in performing the drug testing. It can be done using urine, saliva, blood and even sweat.
May 14, 2010 at 6:03 AM
Hello Kevz,
Except for some typos this is a good post. I like how you linked to the site to expound more of the subject matter. You could also do that with the pictures - a clickable link.
The personal approach lent some interesting points. K.I.U.