Replacement Strategies for Animal Studies in Inhalation Testing

Animal testing is mandatory in drug testing and is the gold standard for toxicity and efficacy evaluations. This situation is expected to change in the future as the 3Rs principle, which stands for the replacement, reduction, and refinement of the use of animals in science, is reinforced by many cou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sci 2021-12, Vol.3 (4), p.45
Main Author: Fröhlich, Eleonore
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
3Rs
Aerosols
animal models
Asthma
Bioavailability
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Cosmetics
Drug dosages
in vitro
Infections
inhalation
Laboratory animals
Medical research
Physiology
replacement of animals
Respiration
Respiratory diseases
Science
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
species differences
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Summary:Animal testing is mandatory in drug testing and is the gold standard for toxicity and efficacy evaluations. This situation is expected to change in the future as the 3Rs principle, which stands for the replacement, reduction, and refinement of the use of animals in science, is reinforced by many countries. On the other hand, technologies for alternatives to animal testing have increased. The need to develop and use alternatives depends on the complexity of the research topic and also on the extent to which the currently used animal models can mimic human physiology and/or exposure. The lung morphology and physiology of commonly used animal species differs from that of human lungs, and the realistic inhalation exposure of animals is challenging. In vitro and in silico methods can assess important aspects of the in vivo effects, namely particle deposition, dissolution, action at, and permeation through, the respiratory barrier, and pharmacokinetics. This review discusses the limitations of animal models and exposure systems and proposes in vitro and in silico techniques that could, when used together, reduce or even replace animal testing in inhalation testing in the future.
ISSN:2413-4155
2413-4155
DOI:10.3390/sci3040045