Hormesis--the stimulation of growth by low levels of inhibitors

Abstract

Hormesis is the name given to the stimulatory effects caused by low levels of potentially toxic agents. When this phenomenon was first identified it was called the Arndt-Schulz Law or Hueppe's Rule because it was thought to occur generally. Although this generalisation is not accepted today, there has never been more evidence in its support, justifying a re-examination of the phenomenon. Evidence from the literature shows that not only has growth hormesis been observed in a range of taxa after exposure to a variety of agents, but also that the dose-response data have a consistent form. While there are a number of separate hypotheses to explain specific instances of hormesis, the evidence presented here suggests that different examples might have a common explanation, and the possibility of a general theory is considered.