Experimental in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of plant bioactive compounds and phytoagents: a review

Bioactive compounds derived from plants are becoming more and more sought-after in recent years. Their impressive potential in diverse industries transforms their status from research curiosities into viable solutions for shortcomings in medicine, pharmacology or food biotechnologies. Needless to say, their beneficial potential comes with challenges regarding cytotoxicity management and assessment. Bioactive compounds with less toxic effect to the host are good candidates for developing new therapeutic solutions. Evaluation of cell functions regarding enzymatic activity, adherence, membrane permeability, enzyme production, nucleotide uptake or ATP production, can be performed by an array of assays. The main purpose of this review is to exhibit and evaluate some of the most effective solutions for in vitro cytotoxicity assessment of bioactive compounds (such as phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, etc.) and to overview their particularities as well as their intended purposes.