aFATO1_14 Toxicology

Faculty of Pharmacy
Autumn 2025

The course is not taught in Autumn 2025

Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
MUDr. Marta Chalupová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
MUDr. Tomáš Parák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. MVDr. Pavel Suchý, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. PharmDr. Karel Šmejkal, Ph.D. (lecturer)
MUDr. Marta Chalupová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
PharmDr. Mgr. Alžběta Kružicová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
doc. MVDr. Pavel Suchý, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. MVDr. Pavel Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology – Departments – Faculty of Pharmacy
Prerequisites (in Czech)
aFABC1_16 Biochemistry for Pharmacists && aFAFK1_14 Pharmacology I
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Abstract
The aim of this subject is to provide students basic knowledge in the area of toxicology. Modern toxicology is an interdisciplinary scientific discipline focused on interactions of xenobiotics with living systems, which lead to their damage or death. The subject incorporates with various disciplines, which are taught in previous years (biology, morphology, physiology and human pathophysiology).
Learning outcomes
After completing the course the student is able to define the course Toxicology and have knowledge of basic toxicological terms. The student is able to describe in general the dangerous characteristics of substances, the mechanisms of their toxic effect and kinetics. The student has a comprehensive overview of the hazards of toxicologically important inorganic, organic and natural substances and a basic overview of the toxicity of selected pesticides, radionuclides and drugs. He orients himself in related legal regulations and has an overview of methods for testing the hazardous properties of substances.
Key topics
  • Lectures
  • 1. Toxicology, definition and history, general terminology, classification of toxins
  • 2. Relationship between the substance, dose and toxic effect, toxicokinetics
  • 3. Mechanisms of toxic effect, factors influencing the toxic effect
  • 4. Toxicologically important inorganic substances
  • 5. Toxicologically important organic substances (I)
  • 6. Pesticides and their residues in food, ecotoxicology
  • 7. Toxicologically important natural substances I (herbal toxins, toxins in algae and cyanobacteria, mycotoxins)
  • 8. Toxicologically important natural substances II (bacterial toxins and animal toxins)
  • 9. Toxicology of medicinal drugs, most common medicinal drug poisonings
  • 10. Chemical warfare agents, radiotoxicology
  • 11. Drug abuse, toxicological view on newly synthesized drugs
  • 12. Intoxication therapy, general rules
  • Seminars
  • 1. Introduction into the experimental evaluation of toxicity
  • 2. In silico evaluation of toxicity: The READ Across method, alternative methods for the assessment of toxicity, QSAR Tool Box, constructing valid QSAR models, the use of predictive models
  • 3. In vitro evaluation of toxicity: Toxicity mechanisms on cellular level and their evaluation, tests of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity, determining EC50
  • 4. In vivo evaluation of toxicity: Determining systemic toxicity and toxicity after repeated administering, testing local effect (dermal irritability, sensibilisation, eye irritation, implantation), pyrogenicity tests, carcinogenicity and reproduction toxicity)
  • 5. Ecotoxicology: Circulation of pollutants in the environment, biomonitoring, effect on organisms, degradability, absorption/desorption. Drug residues in the environment.
  • 5. Guided visit of a toxicological laboratory: Good laboratory practice, interpreting results of tests, most common findings, case studies
Study resources and literature
    recommended literature
  • CAMPBELL, P. G. C.; Peter V. HODSON; Pamela WELBOURN; David A. WRIGHT; Valérie S. LANGLOIS; Christopher J. MARTYNIUK; Christopher D. METCALFE and Louise M. WINN. Ecotoxicology. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022, xviii, 576. ISBN 9781108819732. info
  • Toxicology for the health and pharmaceutical sciences. Edited by Antonio Peña-Fernández - Mark D. Evans - Marcus S. Cooke. First published. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2022, 1 online. ISBN 9780203730584. URL info
  • Casarett & Doull's essentials of toxicology. Edited by Curtis D. Klaassen - John B. Watkins. Fourth edition. New York: McGraw Hill Medical, 2021, xii, 628. ISBN 9781260452297. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
lectures, seminars
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Classification test at the end of the semester. The student always chooses one correct answer from the options offered, for which 1 point is added. No points will be deducted for an unfilled or incorrectly answered question. The condition for passing the test is to achieve at least 60% of the maximum possible number of points.
Language of instruction
English
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