ABSTRACT
The study of drug disposition in physiological compartments is traditionally referred to as pharmacokinetics. Toxicokinetics includes the more appropriate study of exogenous compounds (xenobiotics), the adverse effects associated with their concentrations, routes through the physiological compartments, and the ultimate metabolic fate. Compartmental toxicokinetics entails administration or exposure to a chemical, rapid equilibration to the central compartments (plasma and tissues), followed by distribution to peripheral compartments. Consequently, the principles of pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics historically have been used interchangeably.
