The Toxicologist - Society of Toxicology

some extend the “real life” distribution of skin irritant potencies). Taking into account
this GHS-EU update, global performances of the EpiSkin skin irritation test
method were recalculated by merging working sets (including the ECVAM validation
set) evaluated in our laboratory. Analyses were performed on an overall set of
103 chemicals composed of 1 quarter irritant and 3 quarters non irritant. Predictive
capacities were defined by using the new GHS-EU classification and showed a sensitivity
increase together with a slight specificity decrease as compared to the EU
classification. The overall performances of the EpiSkin test method were in accordance
with the criteria defined by ECVAM. However, these results evidenced the
impact of in vivo classifications rules on in vitro methods performances.
506 DEER VELVET EXTRACT DECREASES THE GRADE
AND METASTASIS OF AOM-INDUCED COLON
CANCER IN THE MALE WISTAR RAT.
R. J. Rosengren 1 , A. Frasier 3 , E. C. Stuart 1 , M. J. Scandlyn 1 , T. J. Somers-
Edgar 1 , A. Alexander 1 and S. R. Haines 2 . 1 Pharmacology & Toxicology, Univeristy
of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 2 Invermay Agricultural Centre, AgResearch,
Mosgiel, New Zealand and 3 Gribbles Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Palmerston
North, New Zealand.
Deer velvet (DV) extract has potential for use to promote healing of chronic
wounds, as it increases angiogenesis. Therefore, the ability of DV to modulate the
growth and invasiveness of colon carcinogenesis was investigated. Male Wistar rats
were each given a subcutaneous injection of azoxymethane (AOM) at 15 mg/kg
once a week for 3 weeks. One week following the final dose of AOM the rats received
either 1 g/kg of DV delivered in a cube of raspberry gelatin or a cube of unsupplemented
raspberry gelatin daily for 26 weeks. At necropsy, tumors were measured
and the distance from the anus was recorded. Tissue samples were removed
and then categorized according to the Astler-Coller system following histopathology.
The results showed that there were no significant differences in most parameters
examined (i.e. body weight gain, multiplicity, tumor volume and incidence).
For example, colon tumor multiplicity was 2.55 ± 0.30 vs 2.41 ± 0.32 for control
and DV treatments, respectively. The only statistically significant differences seen
were associated with metastasis and tumor grade. Specifically, a higher proportion
of the tumors in the DV treated rats were of a lower grade compared to the controls,
both when all tumor sites were considered (0.91 vs 0.66, p