Pesticide Metabolism: Extrapolation from Animals to Man

• E. Dorn
• H. O. Esser
• S, Gorbach
• H. Hutson
• H. Kaneo
• J. Miyamoto

One of the most difficult areas of toxicology is the extrapolation of results obtained from experimental animals to man. The common occurrence of species differences in a number of biological processes confounds this extapolation. The metabolism of pesticides, drugs and other foreign compounds is a very important determinant of their toxicological effects. An understanding of species differences in metabolism and the ability to predict or to study directly the metabolic fate of a pesticide in man therefore are of great value in the validation of animal models for man. This review is concerned with the factors affecting species differences in the metabolism of foreign compounds in experimental animals and man. Additionally, specific examples of the metabolism of pesticides, drugs and industrial chemicals in man are assessed and the approaches to the execution of metabolism studies in humans proposed.

Introduction; Factors involved in species differences in metabolism; Metabolism of pesticides; Metabolism of drugs; Metabolism of food additives; Metabolism of industrial chemicals; Some factors affecting metabolism in man; The study of metabolism using in vitro techniques; The extrapolation of results in animals to man; Use of stable isotope in metabolism studies; Ethical considerations in human metabolism studies; Conclusions and recommendations