Concurrent Analysis of Antioxidant and Pro-Oxidant Activities in Compounds from Plant Cell Cultures

Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants arising from physiological or environmental factors. Here, we applied our previously developed in situ microplate method for the simultaneous determination of antioxidant and pro-oxidant activities to compounds produced by plant cell cultures in vitro. The primary aim was to evaluate the added value of these compounds, which are widely used as additives in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products. The secondary aim was to assess whether a predominance of pro-oxidant activity could limit their biotechnological production. Thirty-three compounds known to be produced by in vitro cultures (polyphenolic acids, flavonoids, quinones, alkaloids, etc.) were tested, and the pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance index (PABI) was calculated. Sixteen compounds showed measurable activities with DPPH₅₀/FRAP₅₀ values below 2 mM. Within this set, rosmarinic acid exhibited pronounced pro-oxidant behavior, whereas gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and the anthocyanin cyanidin showed higher antioxidant potency and favorable PABI values. Such compounds may deliver added benefits when incorporated into food or cosmetic products and are unlikely to limit production in cell culture.