Toxicology News and Research

Latest Toxicology News and Research

Celebrex may disrupt heart rhythm

Celebrex, a popular arthritis drug that blocks pain by inhibiting an enzyme known as COX-2, has been shown in laboratory studies to induce arrhythmia, or irregular beating of the heart, via a novel pathway unrelated to its COX-2 inhibition.

25 Jan 2008

Quitting marijuana as hard as quitting cigarettes

Research by a group of scientists studying the effects of heavy marijuana use suggests that withdrawal from the use of marijuana is similar to what is experienced by people when they quit smoking cigarettes.

25 Jan 2008

Bindeez toy beads still available in the UK, warn doctors

Toy beads that were internationally recalled last year, after concerns that they may be coated with a dangerous chemical, are still being advertised on toy shop websites for purchase in the UK, warn doctors in this week's BMJ.

21 Jan 2008

Methadone and rare ventricular arrhythmia link

Methadone is a possible cause of sudden cardiac death even when it isn't overdosed but is taken at therapeutic levels primarily for relief of chronic pain or drug addiction withdrawal, a new study by Oregon Health & Science University researchers suggests.

10 Jan 2008

Tracking down allergenic substances

At present, animal tests are the only way of determining whether a particular chemical can cause an allergic reaction.

7 Jan 2008

New biochip technology could eliminate animal testing in chemicals and cosmetics industries

A new biochip technology could eliminate animal testing in the chemicals and cosmetics industries, and drastically curtail its use in the development of new pharmaceuticals, according to new findings from a team of researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of California at Berkeley, and Solidus Biosciences Inc.

18 Dec 2007

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers used as fire retardants could be harmful

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), chemicals used as fire retardants, can be found in numerous items in the home, such as the television, computer, toaster and the sofa.

10 Dec 2007

Antibacterial chemical in bath soaps disrupts hormone activities

A new UC Davis study shows that a common antibacterial chemical added to bath soaps can alter hormonal activity in rats and in human cells in the laboratory - and does so by a previously unreported mechanism.

10 Dec 2007

Ozone response greater with increasing BMI

A new study provides the first evidence that people with higher body mass index (BMI) may have a greater response to ozone than leaner people.

27 Nov 2007

New drug called nitrosyl-cobinamide could potentially be used to treat hypertension and heart disease

Investigators at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have developed a new drug called nitrosyl-cobinamide.

27 Nov 2007

Low doses of arsenic disrupt activity of development hormone

A team of Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) researchers has determined that low doses of arsenic disrupt the activity of a hormone critical in development. The finding is further evidence that arsenic at low doses (at levels found in U.S. drinking water in some areas) can be harmful.

15 Nov 2007

New drug may restore memory with Alzheimer's disease

A 2006 study by MetLife found that adults over age 55 fear Alzheimer's disease more than cancer, and with good reason. Alzheimer's creeps up on patients and their families, robbing more than half of all Americans over age 85 of their memory and ability to care for themselves.

14 Nov 2007

Trial looks at ability of insulin to limit heart-tissue damage during a heart attack

The ability of insulin to limit heart-tissue damage during a heart attack will be tested in a landmark clinical trial led by Paresh Dandona, M.D., Ph.D., University at Buffalo Distinguished Professor in the departments of Medicine and Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

13 Nov 2007

Modified Curcumin demonstrates even greater tumor suppressive properties

Curcumin, the yellowish component of turmeric that gives curry its flavor, has long been noted for its potential anti-cancer properties.

6 Nov 2007

Blood gene expression signatures predict exposure levels

In a new study, researchers found they could detect toxic levels of acetaminophen in laboratory animals by analyzing gene expression in the blood.

1 Nov 2007

What makes some clays powerful antimicrobial agents?

With funding from the National Institutes of Health-National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the UB geologists are studying the surface characteristics of a broad range of naturally occurring antimicrobial clays, including some clays from France to determine why they are such effective killers of bacteria.

29 Oct 2007

Decoding effects of toxins on embryo development

Changes in gene expression patterns in zebrafish embryos resulting from exposure to environmental toxins can identify the individual toxins at work, according to research published in the online open access journal Genome Biology.

24 Oct 2007

Ubiquitin builds up an immune response

Ubiquitin is a small protein, which can be attached to other cellular proteins, a process known as ubiquitination.

22 Oct 2007

Alcohol is most common 'spiking' drug

Young women in Northern Ireland are leaving themselves vulnerable to rape or serious sexual assault because of their binge drinking, according to research carried out by staff and students within the Forensic and Legal Medicine team at the University of Ulster.

15 Oct 2007

Genomic technologies to identify toxic chemicals should be developed

A new report from the National Research Council recommends that government agencies enhance their efforts to incorporate genomic data into risk assessments of chemicals and medicines, and calls for a concerted effort to fully develop these methods' potential to protect public health.

10 Oct 2007