Impacto endócrino de sustancias químicas de uso común

Abstract

Chemical compounds with endocrine activity, which have the potential to interfere with diverse physiological process in humans and animals, are present in the environment. Some of the physiological systems that are affected by these compounds are central nervous, endocrine and the immune systems. In hormone dependent and hormone sensitive tissues, these compounds have biological effects like natural hormones, such as estradiol (E2). Currently, it is believed that these compounds are involved in some reproductive abnormalities detected in living beings. Furthermore, it has been reported that these compounds are related with an increase in the incidence of some cancers, among them, testicular cancer. Currently, in Mexico, there are no adequate strategies to evaluate the health risk by endocrine disruptors present in the environment because there are no evaluations performed at low doses of these compounds. It is now known that low doses of these chemicals can affect the metabolism; therefore, molecular evaluation methods are required, to know the effects of these compounds in the Mexican population.