Toxicity Testing

A set of vocabulary flashcards related to toxicity testing, covering key terms and definitions.

The process of assessing the effects of chemicals on living organisms to determine their potential hazards.

Toxicity Testing

Testing conducted using live animals to observe the effects of substances.

In vivo

Testing conducted using cell cultures or biological components outside of a living organism.

In vitro

The correlation between the dose of a substance and the magnitude of its effect on an organism.

Dose-effect relationship

No Observable Adverse Effect Limit; the highest dose at which there are no significant increases in adverse effects.

NOAEL

Lowest Observable Adverse Effect Limit; the lowest dose at which there are significant increases in adverse effects.

LOAEL

Lethal Dose for 50% of the test animals; a standard measure used to assess the toxicity of a substance.

LD50

Exposure to a chemical for less than 24 hours, often in a single or continuous dose.

Acute exposure

Repeated exposure to a chemical for more than 3 months.

Chronic exposure

The ratio used to compare the lethal dose of a substance at low levels with the effective dose at high levels, indicating safety.

Margin of Safety (MOS)

Issues related to the morality of using animals in testing, especially regarding harm to the animals.

Ethical concerns

The ability of a substance to produce a beneficial effect when properly administered.

Efficacy

Toxic Dose for 50% of the test population; the dose at which toxicity is observed.

TD50

Principles of Replace, Reduce, and Refine to improve ethical animal testing practices.

3R's of animal testing

Biological responses to chemical exposure that indicate toxicity levels.

Toxic endpoints

The routes through which a chemical may enter the body, such as ingestion, inhalation, or skin absorption.

Pathways of exposure

Alternative systems, like cell cultures, used in toxicity testing to reduce the need for live animals.

Surrogate animal models