Table 2.

In vitro test methods used in order to evaluate the toxic effects of medicinal plants

Test system	End points measured	Applications	References
MTT	Metabolic activity of a mitochondrial enzyme, succinate dehydrogenase	Cell viability, cell toxicity, cell number	35,36,41,46–48
LDH	Lactate dehydrogenase activity	Cell viability, toxicity	35,36,41,49–51
Cell counting	Cell number	Cell proliferation, cytostatic effects	35,36
Trypan blue	Trypan blue diffusion into the cells	Cell viability	36,52
DNA synthesis	3H-thymidine incorporation or bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)	Cell proliferation, cytostatic effects	35,36,53,54
Neutral red uptake	Dye uptake	Cell proliferation, cytostatic effects	36,43,55
Cell morphology	Morphological appearance of cells and tissues	Cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, cell differentiation	36,56–58
Protein synthesis	35S-methionine and 3H-prolline; ELISA	Cell function	36,39,40,59