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BRINE SHRIMP TOXICITY EVALUATION OF SOME TANZANIAN PLANTS USED TRADITIONALLY FOR THE TREATMENT OF FUNGAL INFECTIONS Mainen J. Moshi, Carolien J.P. van den Beukel, Omar J.M. Hamza, Zakaria H. Mbwambo, Ramadhani O.S. Nondo, Pax J.Masimba, Mecky I.N. Matee, Modest C.Kapingu, Frans Mikx, Paul E. Verweij, and André J.A.M. van der Ven Abstract Plants which are used by traditional healers in Tanzania have been evaluated to obtain preliminary data of their toxicity using the brine shrimps test. The results indicate that 9 out of 44 plant species whose extracts were tested exhibited high toxicity with LC50 values below 20μg/ml. These include Aloe lateritia Engl. (Aloaceae) [19.1μg/ml], Cassia abbreviata Oliv. (Caesalpiniaceae) [12.7μg/ml], Croton scheffleri Pax (Euphorbiaceae) [13.7μg/ml], Hymenodactyon parvifolium Brig (Rubiaceae) [13.4μg/ml], Kigelia Africana L. (Bignoniaceae) [7.2μg/ml], and Ocimum suave Oliv. (Labiatae) [16.7μg/ml]. Twelve plants gave LC50 values between 21 and 50μg/ml, 11 plants gave LC50 values between 50 and 100 μg/ml, and 18 plants gave LC50 values greater than 100 μg/ml. Keywords Brine shrimp test; Toxicity evaluation; Traditional antifungal plantsIntroduction

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