Experimental Pharmacology-Common Experimental Animals Mice rat guinea pig hamster rabbit monkey dog frog cat chicken pig pigeon gerbil experiemental purpose

1. Common Laboratory Animals
-Bhumi

2. Laboratory animals are those animals that can be bred and reared in
laboratory under suitable conditions.
Most common- rat, mice, hamster, guinea pig, rabbit
Large animals- dog, cat, monkey, frog, pigeon, etc.
Depending upon the special characteristics of animal and the study
to be carried out  animal is selected.
The animal which is phylogenetically closer to men considered
for the experiment
Laboratory animals

3. MOUSE
Biological Name : Mus musculus
Strains
-C57BL/6 mice
-Balb/C mice
-swiss albino mice(most commonly used)
Adult weight : 20-25gm
Suitable age for experiments : 1 month
Balb/C mice

4. Characteristics
-smallest
-cheap
-easy to handle
Advantages
-short gestation period
-short lifespan
-small size
-low maintenance cost
C57BL/6 mice

5. Experimental uses
• toxicological studies(acute & subacute)
• teratogenicity studies
• bioassay of insulin
• screening of analgesics & anticonvulsants
• screening of chemotherapeutic agents
• studies related to genetics and cancer research
• study of drugs acting on central nervous system

6. RAT
Biological Name : Rattus norvegicus
Strains
-Albino
-Sprague-Dawley
-Wistar Kyoto
-Long evans
Adult weight : 200-250gm

7. Characteristics
• small in size
• warm-blooded rodent
• vomiting centre is absent, so oral drugs can be given
• gall bladder & tonsil are absent
• greater sensitivity to most drugs
• because of the absence of gall bladder, there is a continuous
flow of bile into the intestine used to study of drugs
acting on bile, cholesterol reabsorption, etc.
• pancreas is diffuse difficult to produce pancreactomy
• clear lining between fundus & pylorus gastric acid
secretion is continuous

8. Two inbred original strains of albino
rats used
Wistar rat Sprague Dawley rat
• Wide head
• Long ear
• Tail length is lesser
than body length
• Resistant to infections
• Longer & narrow head
• Tail is longer than body
length
• Rapidly growing

9. Long Evans rat
black hooded rat
 cross between female
albino & wild animal
Spontaneous hypertensive rat
For hypertension study and
CVS disease study

10. Experimental uses
• Psychopharmacological studies
• Study pf analgesics and anticonvulsants
• Bioassay of various hormones such as insulin, oxytocin,
etc.
• Study of estrus cycle, mating behaviour & lactation
• Study on isolated tissue preparation
• Chronic study on blood pressure
• Gastric acid secretion studies
• Study of hepatotoxic compound
• Acute & chronic toxicity studies
• Study on mast cells
• Rat brain tissue is extensively employed in radio-receptor
studies

11. GUINEA PIG
Biological Name : Cavia porcellus
Strains
-Dunkin Hartley
-Starin-13
Adult weight : 400-600gm

12. Characteristics
• Docile animal
• Herbivores
• Requires exogenous ascorbic acid in diet
• Warm blooded rodent
• Sensitive cochlea
• Highly susceptible to tuberculosis & anaphylaxis
• Highly sensitive to histamine & penicillin

13. Experimental uses
•Evaluation of bronchodilators
•Anaphylactic & immunological studies
•Study of histamines & antihistamines
•Bioassay of digitalis
•Study of tuberculosis & ascorbic acid metabolism
•Evaluation of local anaesthetics
•Hearing experiments
•Study on isolated tissues like ileum, trachea, vas
deferens

14. FROG
Biological Name : Rana tigrina
Strains
-Rana esculenta
-Rana pipiens
-Rana temporaria
Adult weight : 50-100gm

15. Characteristics
• Cold blooded amphibian
• 3 chambered heart  two atrium & one ventricle
• Highly permeable skin(breathe largely through their
skin)
• Camouflage defensive mechanism
Experimental uses
• Screening of certain drugs like anaesthetics
• To study the effect of drug acting on CNS,
neuromuscular junction & heart
• Study of isolated tissue like rectus, abdominis muscle,
heart, sciatic nerve preparation, etc.

16. RABBIT
Biological Name : Oryctolagus cuniculus
Strains
-New Zealand white(commonly used)
-Himalayan black
Adult weight : 1.5-3kg

17. Characteristics
• Docile animal
• Large ears
• Big eyes
• Warm blooded mammalian
• Some strains are resistant to effective of atropine because
they have higher concentration of atropinase enzyme in
their blood
• Skin is sensitive to irritation
• Can’t vomit
• Sensitive to histamine
• Secretion of leutenising hormone(LH) in female
New Zealand white rabbit

18. Experimental uses
• Pyrogen testing
• Bioassay of antidiabetic and sex hormones
• Irritancy tests
• Study of drug used in glaucoma
• Pharmacokinetic studies
• To test toxic effects of cosmetics
• Good model for the production of antibodies & antiserum
• Screening of agents affecting capillary permeability
Himalayan black rabbit

19. HAMSTER
Biological Name : Mesocriceius auratus &
Cricetulus griseus
Species
-Golden or Syrian hamster
-Chinese hamster
-Winter white hamster

20. Characteristics
• Short body
• Short legs and tail
• Loose skin & skin covered with dense short soft fur
• Cheeks pouches are prominent & extend upto shoulder
region
• Cheeks pouches don’t have lymphatic drainage ideal
site for tissue transplants

21. Experimental uses
• Research on diabetes mellitus
• Bioassay of prostaglandins
• Research related to virology, immunology & implantation
studies
• Research on carcinogenic & mutagenic agents(Armenian
hamster)
• For highly concentrated & prolonged smoke inhalation
studies( European hamster)
• Chinese hamsters have low chromosome number making it
useful for cytological investigations, genetics, tissue
culture & radiation research

22. MONKEY
Biological Name : Macaca mulatta
Characteristics
• Structurally & functionally similar to men
• Uterus resembles human & exhibiting regular menstrual
periods
Experimental uses
• Psychopharmacological studies
• Pharmacokinetic studies
• Primate model to study drug metabolism
• Study of drugs acting on CNS, CVS, GIT & fertility

23. CAT
Biological Name : Felis catus
Characteristics
• Has distinct nictitating membrane
Experimental uses
• Used in cardiovascular, behavioural & biomedical
research
• Used in screening of ganglionic drugs
• Studying the transmission of vitamins & minerals to
foetus & newborn
• Used in neuropharmacology, toxicology, oncology &
chromosomal abnormality studies

24. GERBIL
Biological Name : Meriones unguiculatus
Also known as “sand rat” & “jirds”
Have length between mice & rats
Characteristics
• Easy to handle
• Mild and quite nature
• Hearing curve similar to human
Experimental uses
• Used in stroke, epilepsy, auditory studies
• Used in bacterial infections, lipid metabolism, heart
disease studies

25. DOG
Biological Name : Canis familiaris
Characteristics
• Small alimentary tract
• Easily get trained
Experimental uses
• Study of anti-arrhythmic, cardiovascular & autonomic
drugs
• Good model for diabetes mellitus, reproduction, ulcerative
colitis, open heart surgery, organ transplantation, CNS

26. Mongrel dog Beagles dog
This both dogs are most preferred for experimental purpose
due to
• Manageable size
• Moderate length of hair coat
• Docile nature
• Easy to handle
• Stomach & intestinal tract resembles human

27. PIG
Biological Name : Sus scrofa domestica
Characteristics
• Less hairy skin
• Susceptible to bronchitis & pneumonia
Experimental uses
• Study of skin related studies
• Important model in cardiovascular research such as
atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, etc.

28. CHICKEN
Biological Name : Gallus domesticus
Characteristics
• Ease of availability
Experimental uses
• Study on toxicology & pharmacology behaviour
• Studying avian diseases
• Important models developed in chicken are chick comb
method, chicken blood pressure measurement, heart rate,
EEG, etc.

29. PIGEON
Biological Name : Columbia livia
Experimental uses
• Study of antiemetics
• Used for standardization of cardiac glycosides
• Bioassay of prolactin
• Used for screening on intravenous anaesthetics

30. THANK YOU