An in vitro cytotoxicity test to predict the ocular irritation potential of detergents and detergent products.

Two in vitro cytotoxicity procedures, the measurement of cell-membrane integrity using fluorescein diacetate and ethidium bromide, and the quantitation of the release of a cell-membrane-bound enzyme, alkaline phosphatase, were used to assess the cytotoxicity of a range of cationic, anionic and nonionic detergents. The in vitro results were compared with the in vivo irritancy of these compounds in the rabbit eye. Although in general the decreasing order of potency of cationic, anionic and nonionic detergents was similar in vivo and in vitro, there were some apparent anomalies which may be due to the differing penetration characteristics of the detergents, as indicated by electrical impedance measurements of the isolated cornea. The study was extended to an examination of the cytotoxicity of a range of completely soluble, detergent-based formulations in a suspension culture of mouse fibroblasts. In this case the in vitro results correlated more closely with those from the in vivo tests.