In basic pharmacology, what does the LD50 refer to?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To analyze the concept, first recall what LD50 stands for in basic pharmacology: it is a measure used in toxicology to indicate the amount of a substance required to lethally affect 50% of a test population.
Option 1: 'LD50 refers to the lethal dose in 50% of the population taking the drug' aligns with the standard definition, describing the dose that causes death in half of the subjects exposed.
Option 2: 'LD50 refers to the legal dose for at least 50 people taking the drug' introduces a legal framework and a specific sample size that does not pertain to LD50; this is inaccurate because LD50 is a biological toxicity metric, not a regulatory dose.
Option 3: 'LD50 refers to the labelled dose recommended for the drug from the manufacturer' confuses LD50 with recommended dosing or labeling guidelines; LD50 is not a therapeutic label but a toxicity metric, so this is incorrect.
Option 4: 'None of the above' would only be true if none of the statements matched the standard definition, but Option 1 does describe the correct concept, making this option incorrect.
Option 5: 'LD50 refers to the lethal dose in 50 people taking the drug' uses the phrasing '50 people' instead of '50% of the population,' which changes the meaning; LD50 relates to a proportion (50%), not a fixed number of individuals, so this is inaccurate.
In summary, the essence of LD50 is a toxicology concept that quantifies the dose needed to cause death in half of a test population, rather than a legal, labeled, or fixed-numbers interpretation. The wording in Option 1 captures this key idea precisely, while the other options misstate the concept or apply an incorrect context.

BMI5102 BMI5102 Final Assessment Section - MCQs & SAQs

In basic pharmacology, what does the LD50 refer to?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Which one of the following statements about toxic molecules and their possible antidotes is correct?

In calculating a Reference dose (RfD) for a chemical, uncertainty factors are considered. Which of the following statements are true?

What are extrinsic factors that can modify your vulnerability to a dose of a chemical? You can choose more than one.

What is Toxicology?

How true does this statement feel to you, “I know how to critically interpret current events of toxicologic importance.”

Which of the following observations is undertaken in repeat-dose but not single-dose toxicity studies?

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Homework AI Solver

Stylized AI Paper Writer

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation AI Academic Writing Tool

In-Class Translation Assistant

AI Note Generator

AI Quiz Answers

Past Exam Questions from University Test Bank

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler