The American College of Toxicology is an international body of research and regulatory scientists dedicated to a safer global community.

Toxicologists are experts in the science of toxicology, the study of detrimental effects of substances on biological systems.

content has slowly increased in American-brand cigarettes over the years. This is a potent alkaloid made in the roots and accumulated in the leaves of plants of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The presence of nicotine deters herbivores. Thus nicotine was used as an insecticide in the past and currently versions such as imidacloprid are used for this purpose.

Nicotine acts as a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist. In smaller doses it acts as a stimulant. One cigarette yields about 1 mg of absorbed nicotine. High amounts (30-60 mg) can be fatal. The American Heart Association labels nicotine addiction as one of the hardest addictions to break. The stimulant effect contributes to the formation and continuation of the smoking habit.

is produced by nerve cells and acts as neurotransmitter in both the peripheral and central nervous system of many organisms, including humans. In the peripheral nervous system this chemical stimulates increased activity of skeletal muscle. However, in cardiac tissue this neurotransmitter inhibits the action of heart muscle thus lowering heart rate. Acetylcholine plays a role in memory, learning, and mood in the central nervous system. Inhibiting the transmission of acetylcholine is one way that toxicants can interfere with normal physiological processes.

November 3–6, 2013

in the hill country near San Antonio, Texas, is the place to exchange information with colleagues interested in the interface of toxicology and regulatory information, including scientists working in industrial, pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic settings and in regulatory agencies.

is an analgesic used to relieve aches and pains, reduce fever, and as an anti-inflammatory. Aspirin also reduces blood clotting through an antiplatelet effect. One of the most widely used drugs, aspirin can cause gastrointestinal bleeding. Also known as acetylsalicylic acid, it was first isolated in 1897 by Felix Hoffmann for the German company Bayer, although abstracts of willow bark, a source of the compound, were used for pain relief by early Egyptians.

is the shorthand for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, an organochlorine insecticide that was first synthesized in 1874. Its insecticidal properties were discovered in 1939 and it was used with great success to kill the insects which transmitted malaria and typhus during the second half of World War II. Subsequently it was determined that accumulation of DDT in the environment had major ecological impact, such as the thinning of the shells of bird eggs which lead to a reduction in hatching success for birds at the top of the food chain.

of outstanding accomplishment, ACT presents several prestigious awards every year at the Annual Meeting. Awards include the ACT Distinguished Scientist Award, Service Award, Young Professional Award, Furst Award, and student travel funding. The Marshall Steinberg Memorial Award is also presented at the ACT meeting.

live in estuaries and marine environments. The family (Tetraodontidae) includes many familiar species, which are called a number of additional names such as puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, and swellfish. These are considered the second most poisonous vertebrates in the world after the golden poison frog. The poison is localized in certain organs such as the liver. Chefs prepare pufferfish as a special delicacy for those who trust their skills preparing the parts that are safe to eat, in Japan (as 河豚, pronounced as fugu), Korea (as bok), and China (as 河豚 hétún).

was introduced in the late 1950s to be used as a sleeping aid, but was then widely distributed for its anti-nausea properties to reduce morning sickness in pregnant women. In 1962 it was withdrawn after it became clear that it is a teratogen, a substance that induces birth defects.

produces opium and poppy seeds. The botanical name (Papaver somniferum) means the sleep-bringing poppy in reference to the sedative properties of opiates. Opium is the source of many narcotics, including morphine and its derivative heroin. The alkyloids in opium bind to receptors in the central nervous system and can lead to addition and increasing tolerance with use.