Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Toxicity Testing in Animals

Toxicity 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...

Toxic Reactions: Overview

Toxic Reactions: Overview

When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...

Toxicokinetics: Overview

Toxicokinetics: Overview

Studies that assess how a drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted (ADME) at toxic doses are termed toxicokinetics. Understanding toxicokinetics helps predict adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and manage toxicity in humans.Toxicokinetics differs from pharmacokinetics mainly in the dose levels studied, with toxicokinetics focusing on higher toxic doses. The kinetics at these levels can be non-linear due to altered physiological processes. Toxicodynamics examines the relationship...

Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...

Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity

Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity

Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity refer to the ability of drugs to cause genetic defects and induce cancer, respectively. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies agents into four groups based on their carcinogenic potential. Group 1 agents are known human carcinogens; group 2A agents are probably carcinogenic to humans; group 3 agents lack data to support their role in carcinogenesis; and group 4 includes agents for which data support that they are not likely to be...

Drug Toxicity: Overview

Drug Toxicity: Overview

Drug toxicity quantifies the harm a compound causes to an organism, varying by dose and potentially impacting whole systems or specific organs like the liver. Toxic reactions may arise from venomous insect or spider bites, with effects ranging from mild symptoms to severe outcomes such as brain damage or death. Common forms of acute poisoning include ethanol intoxication and overdose of pain or fever medications, with substances like GHB and heroin being particularly lethal at doses close to...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Molecular Dosimetry of DNA Adducts in Mice Exposed to Ethylene Oxide.

Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology·2026

Same author

Molecular dosimetry of hemoglobin adducts in mice exposed to ethylene oxide.

Archives of toxicology·2026

Same author

Sensitive Quantification of the Ethylene Oxide Hemoglobin Adduct <i>N</i>-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-l-valine from Minimal Blood Volumes.

Chemical research in toxicology·2026

Same author

Investigation of mode-of-action and human relevance of cumene-induced mouse liver tumors.

Journal of toxicology and environmental health. Part B, Critical reviews·2026

Same author

In Memoriam: James E. Gibson (1941-2025).

Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology·2025

Same author

Characterization of Background Exposures to Ethylene Oxide in the United States: A Reality Check on Theoretical Health Risks for Potentially Exposed Populations near Industrial Sources.

International journal of environmental research and public health·2025

Same journal

Sperm-Binding Assay Using an In Vitro 3D Model of the Mammalian Cumulus-Oocyte Complex.

Current protocols in toxicology·2020

Same journal

Using Human Primary Foreskin Fibroblasts to Study Cellular Damage and Mitochondrial Dysfunction.

Current protocols in toxicology·2020

Same journal

An Open-Globe Porcine Injury Platform for Assessing Therapeutics and Characterizing Biological Effects.

Current protocols in toxicology·2020

Same journal

A Protocol to Study Mitochondrial Function in Human Neural Progenitors and iPSC-Derived Astrocytes.

Current protocols in toxicology·2020

Same journal

Measuring Changes in Keap1-Nrf2 Protein Complex Conformation in Individual Cells by FLIM-FRET.

Current protocols in toxicology·2020

Same journal

In Vitro Evaluation of Toxicant Influences on the Immune System.

Current protocols in toxicology·2020

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Published on: June 17, 2015

Toxicity testing in chemical safety evaluation.

¹The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan, USA.

Current Protocols in Toxicology

|October 10, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Modern chemistry offers health benefits but also risks. Standardized toxicity tests, including animal models, are crucial for evaluating industrial chemicals and pesticides to ensure human safety.

More Related Videos

A High-throughput Assay for the Prediction of Chemical Toxicity by Automated Phenotypic Profiling of Caenorhabditis elegans

A High-throughput Assay for the Prediction of Chemical Toxicity by Automated Phenotypic Profiling of Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: March 14, 2019

Cytotoxicity Assays with Zebrafish Cell Lines

Cytotoxicity Assays with Zebrafish Cell Lines

Published on: January 6, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 17, 2026

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Based Developmental Toxicity Assays for Chemical Safety Screening and Systems Biology Data Generation

Published on: June 17, 2015

A High-throughput Assay for the Prediction of Chemical Toxicity by Automated Phenotypic Profiling of Caenorhabditis elegans

A High-throughput Assay for the Prediction of Chemical Toxicity by Automated Phenotypic Profiling of Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: March 14, 2019

Cytotoxicity Assays with Zebrafish Cell Lines

Cytotoxicity Assays with Zebrafish Cell Lines

Published on: January 6, 2023

Area of Science:

Chemistry
Toxicology
Risk Assessment

Background:

Modern chemistry has significantly improved human well-being through pharmaceuticals and technologies.
However, chemical technologies also present potential human health risks.
Increased chemical use post-WWII highlighted the need for rigorous safety evaluations.

Purpose of the Study:

To discuss the current methodologies in industrial chemical and pesticide toxicity testing.
To outline the standardized approaches for hazard and risk characterization.

Main Methods:

Utilizes a battery of standardized toxicity tests.
Includes animal testing and other relevant models.
Focuses on characterizing hazards and risks from chemical exposures.

Main Results:

Development of expanded and standardized toxicity testing protocols.
Established methods for assessing chemical and pesticide safety.
Characterization of potential human health risks associated with chemical exposures.

Conclusions:

Current toxicity testing protocols are essential for managing risks from industrial chemicals and pesticides.
Standardized testing ensures a comprehensive approach to chemical safety evaluation.
Balancing chemical innovation with human health protection is paramount.