ABSTRACT
The information derived from descriptive animal toxicity testing is useful in determining the potential toxicity of a compound to humans. The objective of these tests is to identify toxic chemicals at an early stage of chemical development, especially if the substance is already commercially available. Together with in vitro tests, animal tests are applied as biological markers of chemically induced risks, whether synthetic or naturally occurring. These validated batteries of tests are used by regulatory agencies to screen for or predict human toxic effects, in an attempt to establish a signiÞcant frame of reference for monitoring environmental chemical threats, therapeutic adverse reactions, and commercial toxicity.
