Tobacco.org

Evaluation of In vitro Assays for Assessing the Toxicity of Cigarette Smoke and Smokeless Tobacco  

Results: A variety of in vitro assays are available to assess tobacco smoke that address different modes of action, mostly using non–human cell models. However, smokeless tobacco products perform poorly in these assays. Although reliable as a screening tool for qualitative assessments, the available in vitro assays have been poorly validated for quantitative comparisons of different tobacco products. Assay batteries have not been developed, although they exist for nontobacco assessments. Extrapolating data from in vitro studies to human risks remains hypothetical.

Conclusions: In vitro toxicology methods are useful for screening toxicity, but better methods are needed for today's context of regulation and evaluation of health claims.

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