Screening of Derris indica Bennet. for cytotoxicity against Artemia salina and phytotoxicity on mustard seeds

Abstract

Chloroform extracts of the fruit shell, leaves, root bark, root wood, seeds, stem bark and stem wood of Derris indica Bennet. were tested against the brine shrimp, Artemia salina nauplii. 200, 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25, 3.125 and 1.563 ppm against A. salina . The toxicity of the extracts could be arranged in the order: seed > root wood > root bark> stem wood > leaf > fruit shell > stem bark extract. However, the extracts did not significantly inhibit the germination of mustard oil seeds, and thus its application to crops or to the crop field may not cause any harm to crop plants.