Background: Traditional medicine plays a major role in treating many ailments of South Africans. Traditional medicine incorporates the use of botanicals, animals and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, and manual techniques to sustain health; but, also to alleviate its peoples' high morbidity and mortality rates from diseases, such as cancer. Schinus molle (well known for its medicinal properties) belongs to family Anacardiacea and is found in South Africa, however, it is native to Brazil. Brine Shrimp (Artemia salina) are used in research studies in cytotoxicity studies, which are reported with human cancer studies. Experiments utilizing Brine Shrimp are rapid, relatively inexpensive, and easily mastered. Aim: To assess the effect of Schinus molle medicinal properties on Brine Shrimp were utilized. Methods: Essential oils were extracted from the dried leaves of the Schinus molle plant by hydrodistillation. Brine Shrimp were hatched in simulated sea water prepared from sea salt (10g/L) and aerated with an aquarium pump. Brine shrimp cysts were incubated at 21o C for 48 hours. Upon incubation, the nauplii (Brine Shrimp larvae) were collected with a transfer pipette and placed in the wells of a microplate. Brine Shrimp lethality studies were performed to determine Schinus molle cytotoxicity by dissolving the essential oil in Tween 80. The solution was added to the microplate wells containing the Brine Shrimp and incubated for 24 hours at 21o C. Upon 24 hours of incubation, the wells were examined using a binocular microscope and the number of non-motile nauplii were counted. Results and discussion: Brine Shrimp lethality was dose dependent with a LC50 of 0.499 mg/mL. Thus, Schinus molle leaves essential oil extract may contain bioactive compounds of therapeutic significance. Funded by NCHMD/NIH Grant # 1 T37 MD 001810-08

Effect of essential oils from <i>Schinus molle</i> leaves essential oil extract brine shrimp lethality

245th National Meeting (2013)

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Effect of essential oils from Schinus molle leaves essential oil extract brine shrimp lethality