Melaka Institute of Biotechnology is wholly owned by the Melaka State Government. Toxicology Laboratory is one of several laboratories in the institute which offers services to various sector including medical devices company,pharmaceutical companies, food/ cosmetic and herbal industries. The toxicology laboratory performs invitro tests namely apoptosis, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. The test methods for apoptosis is the acridine orange/propidium iodide (AO/PI) staining, whereas for cytotoxicity, MTT assay is test used. Genotoxicity tests are carried out by using Ames test, umu test, micronucleus test and alkaline comet assay.

List of In-Vitro Toxicity Testing

• 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay-To determine the intrinsic ability of chemicals to cause cell death as a consequence of damage to basic cellular functions.

• (AO/PI) Staining Test-To determine the mode of cell death via apoptosis and necrosis.

• Alkaline Comet Assay-Detects DNA damage at the level of single cell.

• Ames Test-A short term bacterial reverse mutation assay specifically to detect wide range of chemical substances that can produce genetic damage that leads to gene mutation

• umu Test-To determine the mutagenic effect of chemicals based on the induction of the bacterial SOS response towards DNA damage.

• Micronucleus Test-To detect chemicals that induce the formation of small membrane-bound DNA fragments (micronuclei in the cytoplasm of interphase cells).