Objectives
- To strengthen the research of plant extracts for pre-clinical studies to determine the toxicological and pharmacological effects
- To ascertain the safety and efficacy of extracts on the different types of animal models
Specific Objectives
- To strengthen techniques for toxicity testing
General Toxicology
- Acute, sub-acute and chronic toxicity testing
- Histopathology testing
- Hematological testing
- Biochemistry testing
Genotoxicity
- Cytotoxicity test using a few methods e.g. Viability method or metabolic activity
- Mutagenicity test: MLA, AMES test, COMET Assay, In- vivo and in- vitro micronucleus test
- Biochemical Toxicology
- Hepatotoxicity - Liver enzymes analysis, cytochrome P450
Product Safety
- Adulterant (steroid and other drugs)
- Contaminants (heavy metals, bacterial, pesticides)
- To develop techniques for developmental toxicology including teratogenicity and reproductive toxicology
- To established methods, facilities for pharmacological investigations of herbal products; including (ADME) - Administration e.g. Absorption, Distribution ; look for target organ, Metabolism e.g. Excretion: duration of drug from entry to exit.
- To establish the pharmacodynamics of herbal products: to look at the mechanism of action of the herbal products
- To develop and strengthen technique for Biochemical toxicology : for other specific organ toxicity
Future Plans
- To set-up the High Throughput screening for Toxicity
- To establish High Throughput screening for pharmacological testing
- Pharmaco-toxicology profiling of biomolecules from Natural Resources to Drug Development in order to prepare the products for clinical trials (Phase I, II, and III)
