Unable to connect to database - 09:52:45 Unable to connect to database - 09:52:45 SQL Statement is null or not a SELECT - 09:52:45 SQL Statement is null or not a DELETE - 09:52:45 Botany 2008 - Abstract Search
Unable to connect to database - 09:52:45 Unable to connect to database - 09:52:45 SQL Statement is null or not a SELECT - 09:52:45

Abstract Detail


Economic Botany Section

Coe, Felix G. [1], Parikh, Dimpi [2], Johnson, Caley [2].

Chemical and Biological Screening of Medicinal Plants of Eastern Nicaragua: Alkaloid Presence and Lethality of Plant Extracts on Brine Shrimp (Artemia salina Leach).

A total of 558 aqueous extracts derived from 31 species of vascular plants used by healers in eastern Nicaragua were assayed for alkaloids and toxicity. Species tested are distributed in 31 genera and 26 families. Out of 31 species tested for alkaloids with Dragendorff’s reagent 29 were positive. Toxicological analysis was conducted using the brine shrimp lethal assay (BSLA). Biological activity using BSLA was recorded as a lethal concentration (LC50) that kills 50% of the larvae within 24 hours of contact with the aqueous plant extract. The LC50 were < 2500 µg/ml for 4 (13%) species, 2500-5000 µg/ml for 7 (22%) species, 5001-7500 µg/ml for 12 (39%) species, 7501-10000 µg/ml for 4 (13%) species, and > 10000 µg/ml for 4 (13%) species. The most toxic species were Lygodium heterodoxum Kuntze (LC50 1434 µg/ml), Eugenia venezuelensis O. Berg (LC50 1586 µg/ml), Olyra latifolia L. (LC50 1916 µg/ml), and Vochysia ferruginea Mart. (LC50 1932 µg/ml). The bioactivity of these extracts may help to explain the widespread use these species as medicinals. The bioassay results indicate the possibility that some of the plant extracts may be toxic to humans or contain useful cytotoxic compounds not yet reported.


Log in to add this item to your schedule

1 - University of Connecticut, 85 Lawler Road, West Hartford, Connecticut, 06117-2697, USA
2 - University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA

Keywords:
alkaloids
Brine shrimp toxicity
Eastern Nicaragua
medicinal plants
Screening.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 52
Location: 157/Law
Date: Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
Time: 8:30 AM
Number: 52003
Abstract ID:260


Copyright © 2000-2008, Botanical Society of America. All rights