Homemade agar-based pellets for voluntary oral drug administration in rodent: No more force-feeding: Just add jelly!

INTRODUCTION: Preclinical research heavily relies on oral drug administration in rodents, most commonly performed via oral gavage, a procedure frequently associated with elevated stress levels and potential adverse effects. There is therefore a clear need for alternative approaches that better align with animal welfare considerations and the refinement principle of the 3Rs. In this study, we describe the development and evaluation of a reproducible, voluntary oral drug administration method based on a flavored, homemade agar-based pellet (HAP). METHODS: HAPs were prepared using agar dissolved in water and flavored with jam or cream. Pellets were evaluated under various intake conditions and at different times of the day. Experiments were conducted in five-week-old C57BL/6 mice over a two-week period. By day 12, 12 mices (75%) consumed the pellet within 15 min. CONCLUSION: HAPs represent a reproducible and animal welfare-oriented method for oral drug administration in mice. By reducing stress and eliminating the need for force-feeding procedures, this approach provides an effective and promising alternative for chronic and repeated treatment protocols.