Information Resources for Toxicology

Abstract

There is a diverse array of information resources available for toxicological data. The primary scientific literature should perhaps form the basis of any robust search. This chapter describes some of the key bibliographic databases to this literature, such as the US National Library of Medicine's TOXLINE and MEDLINE files, as well as outlining some of the important factors that determine how effectively any search will find relevant data. Many useful compilations of hard toxicological data also exist, in the form of factual databanks or reviews produced by various expert groups. Many are available for free on the Internet. The Internet provides the interface with many of the key toxicological resources, as well as offering the opportunity for more general searches for data. The chapter concludes with a timely reminder about the importance of accuracy, data interpretation and verification of information when it comes to toxicology. Keywords: information retrieval; databases; databanks; scientific literature; searching; online