Acutoxbase, an innovative database for in vitro acute toxicity studies

Acutoxbase is as an internet-based database developed for coherent management of all information relevant to the EU integrated project 'A-Cute-Tox' (www.acutetox.org), which aims to optimise and prevalidate an in vitro testing strategy for predicting acute human toxicity. The database consists of two principal parts for archiving in vitro and in vivo data, respectively. The in vitro part, designed following the principles of Good Cell Culture Practice (GCCP), provides a standard format for collection of in vitro data, together with detailed descriptions of methodologies (Standard Operating Procedures, SOPs), generated by research laboratories participating in the project. In the course of the study 97 reference chemicals were tested in approximately 100 in vitro assays, including models for general acute cytotoxicity, metabolism-mediated toxicity, biokinetics, haemato-, immuno-, neuro-, nephro-, and hepatotoxicity. The in vivo part compiles mammalian acute toxicity studies derived from published literature and human acute poisoning cases available from clinical reports. The database has proven to be a useful tool for a quality controlled transfer and organisation of large in vitro and in vivo toxicological data sets. At present time, Acutoxbase is under continuous development, and it will be available for the broad circles of toxicologists and physicians in a near future.