Photodegradation of the Molluscicidal Latex of "Crown-of-Thorns" (Euphorbia milii var hislopii)

Environmental impact evaluation of the stem bark extract of Maesa lanceolata used in Democratic Republic of Congo

“…The solution of saponin kept in dark was active till 10 days before deterioration. The stability of saponin extract from Maesa lanceolata is less than the latex from Euphorbia milii that keeps its molluscicidal potency for at least 124 days and the lyophilized latex remains stable for 2 years (Oliveira-Filho and Paumgartten, 1997). Previous studies showed that triterpenoid saponin isolated from Maesa lanceolata exhibited a moderate virucidal and high haemolytic activity (Sindambiwe et al, 1999;Apers et al, 2001).…”

“…Unfortunately, several plant products are of uncertain use because of their biocidal activity against living organisms (Stauch, 1961). Thus, new chemical drugs from plants must be evaluated for biocidal activity before use to avoid noxious effects on human beings and animals or plants and also to prevent the worsening of the environment (Graham et al, 1995;Oliveira-Filho and Paumgartten, 1997). On this point of view, experimental safety tests of the EtOH stem bark extract of Maesa lanceolata used in fishery by the Bashi indigenous people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were carried out in laboratory conditions and the results are also reported.…”

Evaluation of the Molluscicidal Properties of Euphorbia splendens var. hislopii (N.E.B.) Latex: Experimental Test in an Endemic Area in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…So far toxicological assays made with some miliamines have not shown any carcinogenic properties (Marston & Hecker 1983 ducted with the latex in natura and/or lyophilized have shown encouraging results such as acute toxicity (Mattos et al 1989), cutaneous and ocular irritability (Freitas et al 1991) as well as mutagenicity, cytotoxicity , embroyofeto-toxicity (Souza et al 1997) and ecotoxicity (Oliveira-Filho & Paumgartten 1997). Cruz et al (1996) described a tumor promoter-like activity in vitro.…”

Study of the embryofeto-toxicity of Crown-of-Thorns (Euphorbia milii) latex, a natural molluscicide

“…Besides its remarkable potency, E. milii also presents some very interesting characteristics for a plant molluscicide: Crown-of-Thorns is a cosmopolitan plant easily cultivable in endemic areas, it yields a rather large amount of latex throughout the year and no marked geographic or seasonal variation in the molluscicidal activity of latex has been found (6,7). An ecotoxicological study has also shown that latex is less harmful to non-target freshwater organisms than niclosamide (8).…”