Cytotoxic Activity of the Genus Hypoestes and its Bioactive Constituents: A Review

The genus Hypoestes comprises around 150 species of herbs and shrubs native to the tropical regions of Asia and Africa. Plants from this genus are rich in alkaloids, lignans, diterpenes, and triterpenes. Extracts and compounds from various Hypoestes species, including Hypoestes aristata, Hypoestes forskaolii, Hypoestes phyllostachya (rosea), Hypoestes pubescens, Hypoestes purpurea, and Hypoestes verticillaris, have shown significant cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines and demonstrated promising antiproliferative effects in vitro and in vivo. This review comprehensively summarizes the key findings from cytotoxicity studies on various Hypoestes species. However, further studies are required to identify the cytotoxic activity of the promising phytochemicals, clarify their mechanism of actions, and evaluate their potential as novel anticancer agents.