title: Toxicological consequences of multiple chemical interactions: a primer.
abstract: The capacity to understand and successfully predict the toxicological consequences of multiple chemical interactions is a critical challenge facing the scientific community. This article is designed to provide a broad framework introducing the concept of interaction, use of consistent and meaningful terminology and a descriptive assessment of toxicological foundations within which chemical interactions may be evaluated. The article offers guidance on the need to place a high priority on assessing the mechanistic basis of 'superinteractions', that is, unique interactions far exceeding even those of a multiplicative nature. The final section of the article provides a detailed perspective on how the extensive and successful experience of the pharmaceutical industry in assessing and interpreting any interaction for patients can be useful to the issues and concerns of chemical interactions for the field of environmental toxicology and risk assessment.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Massachusetts Amherst 01003, USA.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Calabrese
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity; D003043:Cocarcinogenesis; D004345:Drug Industry; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004357:Drug Synergism; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced; D011634:Public Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D015262:Xenobiotics