Objectives: The goals of this study were to analyze the capability of brine shrimp test (BST) as a potent teratogenicity screening system on teratogenic agents (methotrexate, captopril, diclofenac, phenytoin, warfarin, and valproic acid).Methods: Artemia cysts were hatched into 1 st stage nauplii, then taken and put into seawater medium which contain test substance and kept alive until 2 nd stage, 3 rd stage, and 4 th stage, and number of deaths, morphological abnormalities, body length, and retarded of development were observed for each stage.Results: Hatch ability of cysts in methotrexate 0.015 mg/ml, captopril 0.25 mg/ml, diclofenac 0.075 mg/ml, phenytoin 1.56 mg/ml, and valproic acid 2.5 mg/ml were significantly different compared to control (p<0.05). Nauplii survival in methotrexate 0.015 mg/ml, captopril 0.25 mg/ml, diclofenac 0.075 mg/ml, phenytoin 1.56 mg/ml, and valproic acid 2.5 mg/ml were significantly different to control (p<0.05). The morphological abnormalities was found in methotrexate 0.015 mg/ml, captopril 0.25 mg/ml. Nauplii with retarded development were expressed in methotrexate 0.015 mg/ml, captopril 0.25 mg/ml, diclofenac 0.075 mg/ml, phenytoin 1.56 mg/ml, and valproic acid 2.5 mg/ml. Significant difference in body length was presented in captopril 0.25 mg/ml, and phenytoin 1.56 mg/ml compared to control (p<0.05).
Conclusion:BST can be used as an alternative method of the teratogenic screening test, although not as sensitive teratogenic tests on mammals. This screening method was not suitable for a compound which its chemical characteristic can change the tonicity of the medium.