Current Methods in Toxicity Testing of New Chemicals: A Review

Abstract

Today all new chemicals have to have their potential toxicity studied before they are allowed to be used in    to protect man and environment. The tests which a new compound has to undergo can be divided into (a) General tests where the acute, sub chronic and chronic effects are examined, (b) metabolic and   pharmacokinetic studies where the fate of the compound In the body is elucidated including identification of metabolites and (c) special tests to assess (i) effects on reproduction, (ii) teratogenicity (iii) mutagenicity and (iv) carcinogenicity invitro. This paper reviews the current methods  used  in  such toxicity testing with special emphasis on the relationship  between  mutagenicity  and carcinogenicity and  on how carcinogenicity can  be predicted on  basis of in vitro and short term in vivo tests  for genotoxicity. Short germ- bioassays for tumor formation also show some promise as means of avoiding the costly and time consuming chronic carcinogenicity tests.