Rodent models for anticancer toxicity studies: Contributions to drug development and future perspectives

•Gastrointestinal mucositis is a debilitating adverse effect of cancer treatment.•Translational models have increased scientific knowledge.•Translational models have enabled the development of new therapeutic alternatives.•New experimental models for the study of intestinal mucositis should be explored. Antineoplastic treatment induces a type of gastrointestinal toxicity known as mucositis. Findings in animal models are usually easily reproducible, and standardized treatment regimens are often used, thus supporting translational science. Essential characteristics of mucositis, including intestinal permeability, inflammation, immune and oxidative responses, and tissue repair mechanisms, can be easily investigated in these models. Given the effects of mucositis on the quality of life of patients with cancer, and the importance of experimental models in the development of more effective new therapeutic alternatives, this review discusses progress and current challenges in using experimental models of mucositis in translational pharmacology research.