 toxicology (from the ancient greek words ÏÎ¿Î¾Î¹ÎºÏÏ toxikos "poisonous" and Î»ÏÎ³Î¿Ï logos) is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine (more specifically pharmacology) concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms. it also studies the harmful effects of chemical, biological and physical agents in biological systems that establishes the extent of damage in living organisms. the relationship between dose and its effects on the exposed organism is of high significance in toxicology. factors that influence chemical toxicity include the dosage (and whether it is acute or chronic); the route of exposure, the species, age, sex and environment. == history ==  dioscorides, a greek physician in the court of the roman emperor nero, made the first attempt to classify plants according to their toxic and therapeutic effect. ibn wahshiya wrote the book on poisons in the 9th or 10th century. paracelsus, a swiss born in 1493 is often refereed to the father of toxicology. he is known for the famous quote the dose makes the poison (dosis facit venenum). mathieu orfila is considered the modern father of toxicology, having given the subject its first formal treatment in 1813 in his traitÃ© des poisons, also called toxicologie gÃ©nÃ©rale. in 1850, jean stas gave the evidence that the belgian count hippolyte visart de bocarmÃ© killed his brother-in-law by poisoning him with nicotine.{{cite journal |last=wennig |first=robert |date=april 2009 |title=back to the roots of modern analytical toxicology: jean servais stas and the bocarmÃ© murder cas
Toxicology