Metal Toxicology Handbook

Heavy metals and metalloids, singly or in combination, induce toxic manifestations either through acute or chronic pathology. In particular, long-term chronic exposure to diverse heavy metals and metalloids to humans and animals can lead to numerous physical, muscular, neurological, nephrological, and diverse degenerative diseases and dysfunctions, including multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, cardiovascular disorders, and several others.

Recognized heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, thallium, and hexavalent chromium are known for enormous toxicity. The immediate vital signs of acute heavy metal exposure include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and acute abdominal pain. Mercury has been identified as the most toxic heavy metal, and mercury poisoning is known as acrodynia or pink disease. Similarly, lead, another toxic heavy metal, was at one time an integral part of painting.

Metal Toxicology Handbook further explains and discusses the varying attributes of metals, discussing toxicity, safety, and proper human utilization of metals. Beginning with a broad overview of metals, metalloids, redox biology, and neurodegeneration and going further into the roles, benefits, and toxicity of metals with each section, the text contains 28 chapters from eminent researchers and scientists in their respective fields and is a must-have for anyone researching the potential toxicity in metals.

Key Features

• Discusses the pathology of metal toxicity
• Highlights the benefits of metals
• Explains the mechanism and salient features of restoring metabolic homeostasis
• Highlights dose-dependent beneficial and adverse effects of vanadium safety and toxicity

The initial introductory section provides a broad overview of metals, metalloids, redox biology, and neurodegeneration. The second section discusses the pathology of metal toxicity in two chapters, while the third section highlights the mechanism and salient features of restoring metabolic homeostasis in two chapters. The fourth section demonstrates the aspect of radionuclides toxicity. In a change of pace, the fifth section discusses the benefits of metals in four chapters. The sixth section, titled ＂Toxic Manifestations by Diverse Heavy Metals and Metalloids,＂ provides fourteen chapters that discuss the toxicological mechanism and manifestation of individual metals.

The editors have crafted a commentary titled ＂A Treatise on Metal Toxicity＂ and summarized a vivid scenario of metal toxicity and its consequences.

Debasis Bagchi, PhD, MACN, CNS, MAIChE, received his Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry in 1982. Dr. Bagchi is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Houston, College of Pharmacy, Houston, TX, and the Chief Scientific Officer, R&D, Cepham Inc. Piscataway, NJ. He is also an Adjunct Faculty of the School of Pharmacy, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX. He served as the Senior Vice President of Research & Development of InterHealth Nutraceuticals Incorporated in Benicia, CA, from 1998 till Feb 2011. Dr. Bagchi received the Master of American College of Nutrition Award in early October 2010. He is currently the Chairman of International Society of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods (ISNFF), Past President of American College of Nutrition, Clearwater, FL, and Past Chair of the Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods Division of Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), Chicago, IL.

Manashi Bagchi, Ph.D., FACN, received her Ph.D. degree in Chemistry in 1984. Dr. Bagchi is currently the Chief Scientific Officer of Dr. Herbs LLC, Concord, CA. Dr. Bagchi is also a Consultant for Cepham Research Center, Piscataway, NJ, and Purity Products, Plainview, NY. Dr. Bagchi served as Associate Professor in the Creighton University School of Pharmacy & Allied Health Profession, Omaha, NE, from Sept 1990 to Aug 1999. Later, she served as the Director of Research at InterHealth Nutraceuticals, Benicia, CA, from Sept 1999 to July 2009. Dr. Bagchi is a Member of the Study Section and Peer Review Committee of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD. Her research interests include free radicals, human diseases, toxicology, carcinogenesis, anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory pathophysiology, mechanistic aspects of cytoprotection by antioxidants and chemoprotectants, regulatory pathways in obesity and gene expression, diabetes, arthritis, and efficacy and safety of natural botanical products and dietary supplements. She is a Member of Society of Toxicology (Reston, VA), New York Academy of Sciences (New York, NY) and Institutes of Food Technologists (Chicago, IL).

Anand Swaroop obtained his M.S. in Biochemistry and Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1997 and accepted as a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition in 2016. He has gathered over two decades of diversified global management experience in Phytopharmaceuticals, Global Regulations on Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods, Chemicals & Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Outsourcing & Supply Chain Management, Business Development, Market Research and Strategic Planning. He has worked in various multinational pharmaceutical companies including Alembic Limited (Vadodara, India), Cadila Laboratories Limited (Ahmedabad, India) and Dai-Ichi Laboratories Limited (Hyderabad, India) in various management positions. Currently, he is the Founder President of a reputable group of companies including Cepham Inc (Piscataway, NJ), Yag Mag Inc (Piscataway, NJ), Metrix Tea (U) Limited (Mbarara, Uganda) and Cepham Life Sciences Inc (Linthicum Heights, MD). Dr. Swaroop has introduced several cutting-edge nutraceutical ingredients for obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and versatile degenerative conditions in USA and around the World. He has 35+ peer-reviewed publications, four books from CRC Press/Taylor & Francis and Wiley-Interscience, and numerous patents. Dr. Swaroop is a Member of the American Chemical Society (ACS), American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), American Society of Pharmacognosy (ASP), New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), American College of Nutrition (ACN), Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), American Botanical Council (ABC) and Natural Products Association (NPA).