Environmental Endocrine Toxicants: Biology, Effects, and Management

Environmental Endocrine Toxicants: Biology, Effects, and Management presents important knowledge of human exposure to endocrine toxicants and the related harmful effects. The book highlights the cutting-edge research currently being conducted on the subject and focuses on the challenges of dealing with increasing pollution levels, increased use of synthetic chemicals, and environmental endocrine disruptors that endanger the human endocrine system and its respective hormones.

Found in various man-made and natural substances and materials, endocrine toxicants include pesticides, herbicides, industrial chemicals, solvents and by-products, phytoestrogens, nanomaterials, and chemicals used in personal care products. These endocrine disruptors may mimic or interfere with the body's hormones and are linked with developmental, reproductive, brain, immune, and other problems.

The volume discusses the many potential endocrine toxicants and the pathways through which they disrupt the endocrine system.

Key features:

• Provides an overview of the chemical nature and mechanisms of endocrine disruptors
• Discusses the sources of endocrine toxicants
• Assesses the impact of endocrine toxicants on a sustainable environment
• Looks at endocrine toxicants and their effect on human health, such as on thyroid glands, on human reproduction, etc.

The final two chapters discuss the therapeutic effects of medicinal plants on endocrine disorders in humans and preventive measures to control the pathogenic action of endocrine toxicants.

The extensive information on the use and disuse of chemicals and other daily used products and environmental endocrine toxicants and their effects on the ecosystem provided in this volume will be valuable for professionals and academics in this area.