Toxicology of iodine: A mini review

2 SUMMARY Iodine is necessary for all living organisms. Deficiency of iodine in the organism leads to various diseases (including mental) and increased rates of cancer. It is well known that one third of the world's population lived in iodine-deficient areas. At present time, the primary intervention for preventing iodine deficiency disorders worldwide is through the iodization of salt. The two most common types of fortificant used to iodize salt are potassium iodide and potassium iodate. Iodine-containing compounds are also widely used in clinical medicine as a highly effective topical antimi- crobial agent that has been used clinically in the treatment of wounds. Hence, the genetic toxicology of iodine and iodine-containing compounds is very essential topic. In this literature review are analyzed the data concerning genetic toxicology and the influence of these compounds on tumor rates in epidemiological and experimental studies.