Possible toxication and detoxification pathways of xenobiotic compounds:

	(1) direct toxic effect (A); (2) metabolic activation; (3) formation of a stable metabolite which may cause a toxic effect (C); (4) detoxification.
The reactive metabolite formed by bioactivation (2) may cause a toxic effect (B) through reaction with critical targets (5) or be detoxified through reaction with a protective agent (6).