Research progress in environmental pharmacology / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

ABSTRACT

In recent years,researches on drugs concentrated in the ecosystem have become a hot topic. Environmental pharmacology is a new subject studying the source and fate of drugs in the environment. It is found that a lot of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutically active compounds are released into the environment by the pharmaceutical industry,hospitals and agricultured activities. Drugs in the environment not only affect the ecosystem,which leads to bacterial resistance,but also affect the balance of flora in the biofilm. Furthermore,such drugs may induce epigenetic changes, which may leave to the body vulnerable to diseases. The enrichment of endocrine disruptors can inter?fere with the growth and function of the human reproductive system. China is becoming concerned about environmental drugs. The development of environmental pharmacology can help clarify the interac?tions between drugs and the environment while contributing to public health and food safety in China.