Biomedical Research

Cytotoxicity

Cytotoxic compounds mainly cause carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic affects on exposure. The cytotoxic compounds affects the cells by causing uncontrolled cell death, prevents cell growth and cell division.  The ability of cytotoxic compounds to prevent the cell division can be utilized to prevent the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells. This property of cytotoxic compounds is a recent breakthrough in the field of anticancer drug discovery. In most of the drug discovery procedures, Cytotoxicity of the drug is tested to ensure that the drugs may not cause Cytotoxicity. The term is often used to describe chemotherapy drugs that kill cancer cells, but it may also be used to describe toxins, such as venom. Within our own immune systems, we have cells that are considered cytotoxic, such as the T cells that kill bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Cytotoxicity testing is important in ensuring safety ranging from environmental exposures to medical devices. The cells are allowed to grow in the extract fluid for a specified amount of time before the cells are evaluated using either qualitative or quantitative methods. The test is performed on all medical devices with patient contact, raw materials, and devices undergoing a cleaning validation or residual manufacturing. Most of the time the term "cytotoxic" refers to the effect that a chemotherapy drug has on cancer cells. In this sense, a cytotoxic agent may be differentiated from one that is cytostatic. A cytostatic medication would, in contrast, inhibit cell division and growth but would not result in cell death directly. Cytotoxic compounds mainly cause carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects on exposure. The cytotoxic compounds affects the cells by causing uncontrolled cell death, prevents cell growth and cell division. The ability of cytotoxic compounds to prevent the cell division can be utilized to prevent the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells.