Assay for cytotoxic activity of three plants against the larvae of Artemia salina

Pigweed, an herbaceous plant are distributed in cultivated land of Iran. The leaves of this plant are used in food by native people. Bermuda grass has been linked with outbreaks of tremors syndrom in cattle and sheep. Burdock are widely distributed in Iran and used in traditional medicine. The cytotoxicity potential of three plants was screened against the larvae of Artemia salina. In this study, we evaluated cytotoxicity effects of three plants by Artemia salina. Pigweed, Bermuda grass and burdock were collected from Ghaemshahr in the North of Iran. The larvaes were hatched from cysts of Artemia salina at 26˚C in filtered seawater. The plant extracts with different concentration (10,100 and 1000ppm) were added to the solution larvaes. The LC50 values (the concentration which needed to die half the larvaes) were measured for pigweed, Bermuda grass and burdock at 1640, 990, and 840 ppm respectively. This assay has been established as safe, practical and economic method for determination of bioactivity of plant product. Moreover, it is useful tools for the preliminary assessment of general toxicity. Our results indicated further and specific investigations will be required for burdock.