Chewable Tablets for Precise Unit Dosing of Animals

Peroral administration of preclinical drugs is commonly achieved through oral gavage or food formulations. However, oral gavage induces distress and is unsuitable for behavior studies, whereas food mixing and delivery are less precise. Therefore, we manufactured and tested tablets with the appropriate physical properties for precise unit dosing of laboratory mice.

Various tablet compositions were evaluated for compactability and compressibility and tested for voluntary consumption by CD-1 mice. The most bitter compound known, denatonium benzoate, was added to tablets at escalating doses, and daily consumption by male and female CD-1 mice was measured across four weeks.

Tablet consumption increased with the number of exposures in 5 of 6 mice, suggesting that a habituation period was necessary. A bitterant was then added at escalating doses (3 to 48 micrograms) for four weeks. After one week of habituation to placebo tablets, 9 of 11 mice ate all bitter tablets, consuming 97% of tablet masses within the first hour. No changes in bodyweight were noted.

These findings support the utility of tablets as a method for drug delivery in laboratory and possibly other settings.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12247-025-10312-0.