Toxicological interactions between mycotoxins In book: Food Contaminants and Human Health: Challenges in chemical mixtures.

Abstract

Humans and animals are exposed to several toxins at the same time. The toxicity of combinations of mycotoxins cannot always be predicted based upon their individual toxicities. Interactions between concomitantly occurring mycotoxins can be antagonistic, additive, or synergistic. Several approaches have been used to determine the interaction between mycotoxins. The theoretical biology-based models of additivity, especially the Chou-Talalay method, are the most advanced. Using this latter model in several cellular systems and in an ex vivo intestinal explants system, we have obser ved a synergistic toxicity for trichothecenes, especially at low concentrations. The synergistic ef fects obser ved af ter exposure to a mixture of low concentrations of mycotoxins could pose a significant threat to public health.