Evaluation of the Bioactivity of Some Traditional Medicinal Plants Using the Brine Shrimp Lethality Test

Abstract

The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the bioactivity of extracts of Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium Vis Albizia antihelmintica A. Brogn, Maerua edulis (Gilg) De Wolf, Maerua subcordata (Gilg & Bened) De Wolf and Myrsine Africana L. which are used traditionally as antihelmintic by using brine shrimp lethality test. Serial dilutions of 1000g/ml, 100g/ml and 10 mg/ml of the extracts were put in five test tubes. Ten (10) brine shrimp larvae were immersed into each of the test tubes and the number surviving after 24 hours counted and the percentage mortality and LC for each extract was determined. C. cinerariaefolium (pyrethrins) was active (LC < 1000 g/ml) at LC50 of 1.3mg/ml while the methanol extract of A. antihelmintica bark was active with LC₅₀ of 18g/ml. The methanol extracts of Maerua edulis, Maerua subcordata and Myrsine Africana were not active (LC₅₀ < 1000g/ml). The result indicated that C. cinerariaefolium and A. antihelmintica extracts have bioactivity and is the basis for their use as antihelmintic by pastoral communities. Brine shrimp lethality test was found to be a simple and rapid test and is thus recommended for similar studies.

The Kenya Veterinarian Vol. 26 2004: pp. 8-11