Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
08:54
Validated LC-MS/MS Panel for Quantifying 11 Drug-Resistant TB Medications in Small Hair Samples
Published on: May 19, 2020
Alternative method for checking toxicity of hair dyes
P Tachon1, J Cotovio, K G Dossouy
1Laboratoires de recherche appliquéAe, L'Oreal - 1, avenue Eugene Schueller 93600 Aulnay sous bois, France.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science
|May 22, 2009
Summary
This study compared in vitro and in vivo toxicities of 19 hair dyes. Cell culture tests showed good correlation with animal studies, suggesting their value for pre-screening hair dye toxicity and reducing animal use.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Cosmetic Science
- In Vitro/In Vivo Studies
Background:
- Hair dyes undergo rigorous safety evaluations.
- Reducing animal testing in toxicological assessments is a priority.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the in vitro and in vivo toxicities of 19 hair dye compounds.
- To assess the correlation between cell-based assays and animal toxicity data.
- To evaluate the utility of in vitro methods for pre-screening hair dye safety.
Main Methods:
- In vitro toxicity assessed using Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (V79) via a cell growth inhibition test to determine the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50).
- In vivo acute toxicity evaluated in Swiss mice via intraperitoneal administration to determine LD50 values.
- Statistical analysis to compare the ranking orders of toxicity from both methods.
Main Results:
- A strong positive correlation (r=0.90, P=10(-4)) was observed between in vitro and in vivo toxicity rankings.
- The IC50 values from cell culture tests effectively predicted the in vivo toxicity of hair dyes.
- Both methods yielded comparable toxicity profiles for the tested hair dye compounds.
Conclusions:
- In vitro cell culture tests provide a reliable method for assessing hair dye toxicity.
- These cell-based assays can serve as valuable pre-screening tools, reducing the need for animal testing in cosmetic safety evaluations.
- The findings support the adoption of in vitro methods to enhance the efficiency and ethics of hair dye safety testing.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Toxicity Testing in Animals
Toxicity tests in animals are grounded on two main assumptions: first, the effects observed in laboratory animals can be extrapolated to humans, especially when adjusted for body surface area; second, high-dose exposure in animals is essential to identify potential human hazards from lower doses. This is based on the quantal dose-response concept, which faces the challenge of extrapolating results from relatively few test animals to much larger human populations. For example, a 0.01% incidence...
01:18Effects of EDTA on End-Point Detection Methods
Different methods, such as visual observance of metal-ion indicators, spectroscopic techniques, and potentiometric methods, can determine the endpoint of an EDTA titration.
In the visual method, metal-ion indicators (metallochromic dyes), which have distinct colors in their free and complex forms, are added to the mixture to signal the titration's end point. They form stable complexes with metal ions, but these complexes are weaker than the corresponding metal–EDTA complexes. As a result, EDTA...
In the visual method, metal-ion indicators (metallochromic dyes), which have distinct colors in their free and complex forms, are added to the mixture to signal the titration's end point. They form stable complexes with metal ions, but these complexes are weaker than the corresponding metal–EDTA complexes. As a result, EDTA...