Endocrine Disruptors
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Abstract
Endocrine disruptors are exogenous chemicals capable of interfering with the normal functioning of the endocrine system, resulting in significant adverse effects on human health and the environment. These compounds are widely distributed in industrial products, plastics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and environmental pollutants. Continuous exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has become a major global public health concern due to their potential role in reproductive abnormalities, infertility, developmental defects, metabolic disorders, and hormone-dependent cancers. This chapter focuses on the classification, sources, mechanisms, and biological impacts of endocrine disruptors with special emphasis on reproductive disorders and oncogenesis. The interaction of EDCs with hormonal receptors such as estrogen, androgen, thyroid, and progesterone receptors alters cellular signaling pathways and gene expression, thereby contributing to carcinogenesis and endocrine dysfunction. The chapter also highlights the association of endocrine disruptors with breast, ovarian, prostate, and endometrial cancers, along with their epigenetic and molecular alterations. Recent advances in biomonitoring, toxicological assessment, and computational approaches including artificial intelligence for risk prediction and environmental surveillance are discussed. Preventive strategies, regulatory policies, and future perspectives regarding safer alternatives and public awareness are also addressed. This chapter provides an interdisciplinary overview useful for researchers, academicians, healthcare professionals, and pharmaceutical scientists working in reproductive oncology and environmental health sciences.
Author Affiliations
- 1 Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Dr. Rajendra Gode College of Pharmacy, Malkapur, Maharashtra-443101, India.