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Hormesis and its place in nonmonotonic dose-response relationships: some scientific reality checks.

OBJECTIVE: This analysis is a critical assessment of current hormesis literature. I discuss definitions, characterization, generalizability, mechanisms, absence of empirical data specific for hormesis hypothesis testing, and arguments that hormesis be the 'default assumption' in risk assessment. DAT...

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Published in:Environmental Health Perspectives Vol. 115; no. 4; pp. 500 - 507
Main Author: Mushak P
Format: Journal Article
Published: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Apr2007
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Apr2007
      vid: 115
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      pub: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
      place: Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
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        atl: Hormesis and its place in nonmonotonic dose-response relationships: some scientific reality checks.
      aug:
        au: Mushak P
      sug:
        subj:
          Environmental Pollutants Adverse Effects
          Environmental Pollutants Pharmacodynamics
          Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
          Health Policy
          Nomenclature
          Risk Assessment
      ab: OBJECTIVE: This analysis is a critical assessment of current hormesis literature. I discuss definitions, characterization, generalizability, mechanisms, absence of empirical data specific for hormesis hypothesis testing, and arguments that hormesis be the 'default assumption' in risk assessment. DATA SOURCES: Hormesis, a biological phenomenon typically described as low-dose stimulation from substances producing higher-dose inhibition, has recently garnered interest in several quarters. The principal sources of published materials for this analysis are the writings of certain proponents of hormesis. Surprisingly few systematic critiques of current hormesis literature exist. Limits to the phenomenon's appropriate role in risk assessment and health policy have been published. DATA SYNTHESIS: Serious gaps in scientific understanding remain: a stable definition; generalizability, especially for humans; a clear mechanistic basis; limitations in the presence of multiple toxic end points, target organs, and mechanisms. Absence of both arms-length, consensus-driven, scientific evaluations and empirical data from studies specifically designed for hormesis testing have limited its acceptance. CONCLUSIONS: Definition, characterization, occurrence, and mechanistic rationale for hormesis will remain speculative, absent rigorous studies done specifically for hormesis testing. Any role for hormesis in current risk assessment and regulatory policies for toxics remains to be determined.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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