Medical News

In toxicology studies, there are two main types of tests used to assess the safety and potential toxic effects of drugs: in vivo tests and in vitro tests. We know that the traditional method of drug toxicology research is to use animal models for in vivo drug testing. Although this method can fully reflect the various toxic effects of drugs and allow long-term observation of chronic toxic effects, there are many interfering factors and it is difficult to conduct metabolic and mechanistic studies. With the development of science and technology, the use of free organs, cultured cells, or organelles for toxicological in vitro testing has slowly emerged. Toxicology is the science of studying the harmful effects of chemical, physical, biological, and other exogenous factors on biological systems. It can study the toxic reactions of chemical substances on living organisms, their severity, frequency of occurrence, and mechanisms of toxic effects, as well as qualitative and quantitative ev...

  Veratrum alkaloids are a class of natural compounds found in plants of the Veratrum genus.Historically, Veratrum  has been used as a source of medicines and insecticide. Their toxicity was noted in sneezing powders made from pulverized roots of these plants. Inhalation or ingestion has resulted in several signs and symptoms, including hypotension or bradyarrhythmia.  Pharmacological and toxicological studies on Veratrum alkaloids have revealed pharmacological effects such as lowering blood pressure, strengthening the heart, anti-thrombotic, improving blood-brain circulation, and antiparasitic infection. However, it has been found to have both reproductive and genotoxic effects and significant toxic effects on the human digestive and respiratory systems, so it should not be used indiscriminately. Mechanism of Toxicity [1] The veratrum alkaloids, which are chemically similar to steroids, include protoveratrine, veratridine, and Jervine. These agents were introduced...

 The development of various human diseases is highly complex. For drug developers to study human pathogenesis and pathological changes and observe and evaluate the efficacy of drugs, it is necessary to construct models that mimic human diseases, such as organoid or animal models, to explore the nature of human diseases and evaluate the effectiveness of new drugs. In vitro, ex vivo, or rodent models are generally used in the early stage of drug discovery . As new drug candidates progress from discovery to preclinical development and scale-up drug preparation, large animal models such as Minipigs, dogs, and monkeys are gradually adopted. The porcine model is one of the large animal models used in many laboratories and drug research sites. The size and characteristics of pigs vary by species. Minipigs were first used in medical research in Europe before being introduced to the United States in the 1980s. Minipigs are a commonly used animal model for pharmaceutical research. Minipigs a...