EC50

For the UK postcode EC50, see EC postcode area.

The term half maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) refers to the concentration of a drug, antibody or toxicant which induces a response halfway between the baseline and maximum after some specified exposure time. It is commonly used as a measure of drug's potency.

The EC₅₀ of a graded dose response curve therefore represents the concentration of a compound where 50% of its maximal effect is observed. The EC₅₀ of a quantal dose response curve represents the concentration of a compound where 50% of the population exhibit a response, after a specified exposure duration.

It is also related to IC₅₀ which is a measure of a compound's inhibition (50% inhibition). For competition binding assays and functional antagonist assays IC₅₀ is the most common summary measure of the dose-response curve. For agonist/stimulator assays the most common summary measure is the EC₅₀.

Concentration measures typically follow a Sigmoidal curve, increasing rapidly over a relatively small change in concentration. The point at which the effectiveness slows with increasing concentration is the IC₅₀. This can be determined mathematically by derivation of the best-fit line. While relying on a graph for estimation is more convenient, it yields less precise and less accurate results.

Equation

Many different equations can be used to derive an EC₅₀. One possible function is:

Y = Bottom + (Top - Bottom)/(1 + (X/EC₅₀)^{(Hill coefficient)})

where Y is the observed value, Bottom is the lowest observed value, Top is the highest observed value, and the Hill coefficient gives the largest absolute value of the slope of the curve.

Limitations

The effects of a stressor or drug generally depend on the exposure time. Therefore, the EC₅₀ (and similar statistics) will be a function of exposure time. The exact shape of this time function will depend upon the stressor (e.g., the specific toxicant), its mechanism of action, the organism exposed, et cetera. This time dependency hampers the comparison of potency or toxicity between compounds and between different organisms.

See also

• Dose-response relationship
• Certain safety factor
• IC₅₀
• LD₅₀
• Therapeutic index

External links

• Online IC50 Calculator
• Determination of IC₅₀ values
• Neubig et al. International Union of Pharmacology Committee on Receptor Nomenclature and Drug Classification. XXXVIII. Update on terms and symbols in quantitative pharmacology. Pharmacol Rev. 2003 Dec;55(4):597-606.

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