In Italy, the harmful effects that can be provoked by natural substances have long been recognized, and in the past many of these effects have been exploited for weird purposes (cf. Agrippina, the Emperor Nerone, the Borgias).
Information on toxic substances, as well as on poisonous plants and animals, can be found in several textbooks and treaties starting from the middle of 1500. Later, Bernardo Ramazzini (1633 -1714) at the University of Bologna described numerous cases of occupational intoxication, outlining the health hazards of irritating chemicals, dust metals and other abrasive agents encountered by workers.
In the latter half of the 19th century, eminent professors of pharmacology in Italian universities also turned their attention to mechanistic problems in toxicology: Pietro Albertoni, Luigi Sabbatani, and Pietro Giacosa, who authored a textbook on medicine, pharmacology and toxicology.
In addition to the academic involvement, toxicology in Italy is represented also by no-profit scientific associations. Among them, the Italian Society of Toxicology (SITOX), and Cell Tox (The Italian Association of in-vitroToxicology). SITOX was founded in 1967 in Pavia, currently has over 500 members and it is actively engaged in promoting the value of scientific, professional and regulatory aspects of modern toxicology. Cell Tox was founded in 1991 with the aim of promoting the use of in-vitro systems in pharmacological and toxicological research.
Moreover, toxicology is one of the prominent issue inside the state-financed, regionally-based public healthcare system in Italy. There are several scientific/technical institutions operating at national, regional, provincial and municipal levels.  It is worth mentioning the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Prevention (ISPESL), the Experimental Institutes of Zooprophylaxis, the Department of Healthcare, the Veterinary Health and International Affairs of the Ministry of Health (which includes offices dealing with activities such as disease prevention, drug surveillance, food and nutrition, etc.), the National agency for new technologies, energy and the environment (ENEA), the National agency for environmental protection (APAT), and the Ministry for environmental protection.