Are pesticides really endocrine disruptors?

In recent years, a considerable amount of basic laboratory investigation has been targeted toward understanding the relationship between environmental contaminants and cellular endocrine function. A number of environmental contaminants are now known to alter endocrine physiology without acting as classic toxicants. Hence, a new field of inquiry has emerged within the discipline of environmental toxicology, the study of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Pesticides represent one of the better studied groups of EDCs. As the tools of molecular biology become increasingly sophisticated, our ability to understand the endocrine effects of these compounds continues to broaden at a remarkable rate. Still, clinical data linking them to derangements in human endocrine function have been quite limited. While the scientific community awaits further epidemiological assessment of the impact of pesticides on public health, responsible land management practices should be employed in an effort to reduce the burden of these chemicals ultimately reaching our water supply.