What are the four main elements involved in a poisoning event?

In the study of poisoning, a poisoning event is defined by four fundamental elements that represent the cause, subject, effect, and consequence of the process:1

• The poison: The natural or synthetic substance that initiates the event.1
• The poisoned organism: The subject exposed to the toxic chemical.1
• The injury to the cells: The damage that occurs when a toxic level of the chemical accumulates in the target tissue or organ, disrupting its normal structure or function.1
• The symptoms and signs or death: The clinical manifestations that develop following cellular injury, which may lead to death if the toxicity is sufficiently severe.1

To initiate this process, an organism must be exposed to a toxic chemical, with the severity of the resulting injury often depending on factors such as the dose of exposure and the frequency of exposure.123