Biomaterial Database

The mechanisms of action of reproductive toxins. 1983

D R Mattison

A general discussion of the mechanisms of action of reproductive toxins is presented. Reproductive toxicants may produce their adverse effects by one of several mechanisms. Some xenobiotics may act directly, either by virtue of chemical reactivity (eg, oocyte destruction by alkylating agents) or by structural similarity to endogenous molecules (eg, hormone antagonists). Other xenobiotics interrupt reproductive processes indirectly either by metabolic processing to a direct-acting toxicant (eg, prohormone or metabolic activation to reactive intermediate) or by altering endocrine homeostasis (eg, increased steroid clearance). Selected examples of compounds demonstrating reproductive toxicity by one or more of these mechanisms are tabulated and an extensive bibliography of reproductive toxins is attached.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008658	Inactivation, Metabolic	Reduction of pharmacologic activity or toxicity of a drug or other foreign substance by a living system, usually by enzymatic action. It includes those metabolic transformations that make the substance more soluble for faster renal excretion.	Detoxication, Drug, Metabolic,Drug Detoxication, Metabolic,Metabolic Detoxication, Drug,Detoxification, Drug, Metabolic,Metabolic Detoxification, Drug,Metabolic Drug Inactivation,Detoxication, Drug Metabolic,Detoxication, Metabolic Drug,Detoxification, Drug Metabolic,Drug Inactivation, Metabolic,Drug Metabolic Detoxication,Drug Metabolic Detoxification,Inactivation, Metabolic Drug,Metabolic Drug Detoxication,Metabolic Inactivation
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D012098	Reproduction	The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D003276	Contraceptives, Oral	Compounds, usually hormonal, taken orally in order to block ovulation and prevent the occurrence of pregnancy. The hormones are generally estrogen or progesterone or both.	Low-Dose Oral Contraceptive,Oral Contraceptive,Oral Contraceptives,Oral Contraceptives, Low-Dose,Oral Contraceptives, Phasic,Contraceptive, Low-Dose Oral,Contraceptive, Oral,Contraceptives, Low-Dose Oral,Contraceptives, Phasic Oral,Low Dose Oral Contraceptive,Low-Dose Oral Contraceptives,Oral Contraceptive, Low-Dose,Oral Contraceptives, Low Dose,Phasic Oral Contraceptives
D004260	DNA Repair	The removal of DNA LESIONS and/or restoration of intact DNA strands without BASE PAIR MISMATCHES, intrastrand or interstrand crosslinks, or discontinuities in the DNA sugar-phosphate backbones.	DNA Damage Response
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000477	Alkylating Agents	Highly reactive chemicals that introduce alkyl radicals into biologically active molecules and thereby prevent their proper functioning. Many are used as antineoplastic agents, but most are very toxic, with carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and immunosuppressant actions. They have also been used as components in poison gases.	Alkylating Agent,Alkylator,Alkylators,Agent, Alkylating,Agents, Alkylating
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia