Essays on Biotransformation

People working in manufacturing and chemical industries are more prone to health hazards as they are exposed to dangerous substances that have adverse health effects on them. Frequent exposure to synthetic substances causes nausea, vomiting, and headaches, which, if not treated at earlier stages turn into life threatening diseases. These substances directly or indirectly exert toxic elements through biological, chemical, physical, genetic or psychological agents on living organisms and other biological systems, and this study is known as toxicology. In an organism these toxic elements are absorbed systematically through the skin, lungs, or gastro-intestinal tracts. The effect of these ...

4 – Nitroaniline

INTRODUCTION

4-Nitroaniline is an organic nitro aromatic compound. It is a yellow powder with a pungent odor and is highly soluble in hot water, methanol, ethanol, acetone etc (Lide 1994). Its chemical formula is C6H6N2O2. It has the following chemical structure: (Courtesy: PubChem 2016) It is also known as P-Amino nitrobenzene, P-Nitraniline or Benzene amine (PubChem 2016). It explodes on decomposition to emit toxic nitrogen oxides (Lewis 1996). 4-Nitroaniline is used in the manufacture of textile dyes such as the red azo dyes. It is also used in preparation of antioxidants, fuel additives, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and poultry medicines ( ...

Introduction

Studies have shown that fescue toxicosis is caused by low levels of ergot alkaloids which are highly toxic in endophyte-infected tall fescue grass. It is believed that a number of the ergot alkaloids are involved in the modulation of physiological mechanisms in animals and man. One of the best approaches that can be used to solve the problem of fescue toxicosis from the body system is by adopting the process used by animals to remove the ergot alkaloids toxins from circulation. This can be achieved through understanding of the role played by the cytochrome P450 (CYP3A4) in the elimination of ...