Study of the principles in the first phase of experimental pharmacology: the basic step with assumption hypothesis

Yilkal Tariku BelayEmail author View ORCID ID profile

BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology201920:30

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40360-019-0306-x

Received: 2 October 2018
Accepted: 24 April 2019
Published: 21 May 2019

Open Peer Review reports

Abstract

Background

Experimental pharmacology deals with effects of various test substances studied on different animal species which is aimed at finding out safe therapeutic agent suitable for public health as well as mechanism and site of action of a test substance. It is the basic step in the discovery of new drugs or studying the pharmacological actions of already developed one using both preclinical and clinical study designs in a stepwise phase of investigations. However, the investigations in the first phase of experimental pharmacology are usually concluded with assumption hypothesis without any adequate validation of the scientific evidence. Single dose acute toxicology had been conducted on Balb c mice with three different level of doses prepared from each of three different test chemicals (Dichlorvos, Chlorpyrifos and Cypermethrin) with known median lethal dose (LD50) to define the fundamental principles, cause of toxicity and investigation timeframe in the first phase of experimental pharmacology.

Methods

The methods used for data collection were: procurement of test chemicals, investigation of single dose acute toxicity on Balb c mice and quantitative immunoglobulins test. Data was thematically compiled for validation of the findings from each of the sources.

Results

The result showed that the dose had never limited the toxic property of tested chemicals but the magnitude of adverse effect and length of time at which adverse effect was manifested on treated Balb c mice. The toxicity of tested chemicals was however limited by the toxic reaction rate of a dose in the biological process of exposed Balb c mice. The toxic effect of tested chemicals became magnified within a short period of time when large amount administered orally. It also remained after a long period of time when small amount administered in the same route.

Conclusion

Adequate investigation time for acute toxicity study was therefore essential for comprehensive analysis of pharmacological property of tested chemicals at different level of doses.