HEPATOTOXIC AGENTS
A few natural and many synthetic chemical compounds may cause liver injury, a hepatitis. They are grouped in two classes: toxic and sensitizing agents.
Toxic agents: | -affect all individuals. -the severity is dose related. -the symptoms appear quickly in a few hours. -the symptoms appear with the first dose. -the histological changes are typical for individual toxins. -can be reproduced in experimental animals. |
Sensitizing agents: | -affect only sensitive individuals (1 in 100, 1 in 1000s). -the severity is not dose related. -the symptoms appear weeks and months after the first sensitizing dose and immediately after the second dose. -histological pattern similar to that of a viral hepatitis. -not reproducible in experimental animals. |