Brine shrimp toxicity evaluation of some Tanzanian plants used traditionally for the treatment of fungal infections

Mainen J Moshi; Carolien J P van den Beukel; Omar J M Hamza; Zakaria H Mbwambo; Ramadhani O S Nondo; Pax J Masimba; Mecky I N Matee; Modest C Kapingu; Frans Mikx; Paul E Verweij; André J A M van der Ven

doi:10.4314/ajtcam.v4i2.31211

Brine shrimp toxicity evaluation of some Tanzanian plants used traditionally for the treatment of fungal infections

Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2006 Nov 13;4(2):219-25. doi: 10.4314/ajtcam.v4i2.31211.

Authors

Mainen J Moshi¹, Carolien J P van den Beukel, Omar J M Hamza, Zakaria H Mbwambo, Ramadhani O S Nondo, Pax J Masimba, Mecky I N Matee, Modest C Kapingu, Frans Mikx, Paul E Verweij, André J A M van der Ven

Affiliation

¹ Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. mmoshi@muchs.ac.tz

Abstract

Plants which are used by traditional healers in Tanzania have been evaluated to obtain preliminary data of their toxicity using the brine shrimps test. The results indicate that 9 out of 44 plant species whose extracts were tested exhibited high toxicity with LC(50) values below 20 microg/ml. These include Aloe lateritia Engl. (Aloaceae) [19.1 microg/ml], Cassia abbreviata Oliv. (Caesalpiniaceae) [12.7 microg/ml], Croton scheffleri Pax (Euphorbiaceae) [13.7 microg/ml], Hymenodactyon parvifolium Brig (Rubiaceae) [13.4 microg/ml], Kigelia Africana L. (Bignoniaceae) [7.2 microg/ml], and Ocimum suave Oliv. (Labiatae) [16.7 microg/ml]. Twelve plants gave LC(50) values between 21 and 50 microg/ml, 11 plants gave LC(50) values between 50 and 100 microg/ml, and 18 plants gave LC(50) values greater than 100 microg/ml.

Keywords: Brine shrimp test; Toxicity evaluation; Traditional antifungal plants.