Article IN VITRO STUDY OF Vitex gardneriana SCHAUER TOXICITY ON Artemia salina AND ITS EFFECT ON EGGS AND LARVAE OF Haemonchus contortus

Abstract

 This research aimed
to investigate the toxic action of Vitex
gardneriana on microcrustacean Artemia
salina by using hydroalcoholic extract from
leaves (EHF) and acute toxicity test (CL50)
concentrations of 100, 500, 1.000, 10.000,
20.000, and 50.000/mL. Sodium hypochlorite
(NaClO) at 1% was used as positive control,
and saline and 1% DMSO were used as
negative control. Vitex gardneriana showed
low toxic potential, with 50% mortality in
the microcrustacean metanauplii population
(concentration: 34.600 mg/mL). A. salina is
a seawater microcrustacean widely used in
bioassays for determining the toxic dose of
bioactive substances because of its low costs
and its related simple, aseptic procedures. To
determine the toxic action of the hydroalcoholic
extract of V. Gardneriana on eggs and larvae
of Haemonchus contortus, 2,5mL of EHF with
a concentration of 34,600 mg/mL were added
into single-species nematode fecal cultures
containing approximately 12.000 eggs. Only
26,6% of the eggs hatched, corresponding
to an EHF efÀ ciency of 73,3%, whereas the
hatchability was 50% in control, with 6.000
larvae recovered. The À ndings show the
potential of this plant as an alternative in
parasite control.