title: Brine shrimp toxicity evaluation of some Tanzanian plants used traditionally for the treatment of fungal infections.
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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Medicine, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. mmoshi@muchs.ac.tz
authors.forename: Mainen J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Moshi
authors.forename: Carolien J P
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: van den Beukel
authors.forename: Omar J M
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Hamza
authors.forename: Zakaria H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Mbwambo
authors.forename: Ramadhani O S
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Nondo
authors.forename: Pax J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Masimba
authors.forename: Mecky I N
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Matee
authors.forename: Modest C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kapingu
authors.forename: Frans
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mikx
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Verweij
authors.forename: André J A M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Ven