I am planning to administer chemotherapeutic drugs to nude mice via the oral gavage route. What is the optimal pH range for the solution that can be given via oral gavage?
For most routes of administration, a pH range of 4.5–8.0 is satisfactory. However, for oral administration, a pH as low as 3 can be tolerated, but alkaline solutions are very poorly tolerated.
In case of oral gavage route, I would suggest the optimal pH range of 7.2 -7.4 because extremes in pH could cause local tissue damage. Phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.2-7.4) could be used to make the solution.
You may want to refer to the article attached below.