Screening of Medicinal Plants Native To Kano and Jigawa States of Northern Nigeria, Using Artemia Cysts (Brine Shrimp Test)
Eleven plant species belonging to 9 families were selected in this study on the basis of their uses in Hausa folk medicine. Extracts prepared from the plans were solvent partitioned and screened for activity in the brine shrimp Artemia cysts lethality test (BST) All the leaves extracts of Cassia singueana exhibited very high toxicity in brine shrimp test (BST) at LC 50 values less than 11ug/ml. Some extracts of Commiphra kerstingi Jatropha curcas Erythrina senegalensi s and Securidaca longepedunculata have showed remarkable toxicity in BST at LC 50 values range between 4.5 367 u g/ml Only Diospyros mespiliformis (Ebenaceae) showed very low brine shrimp lethality at LC 50 1000 ug/ml. The lethal concentration (LC 50 were determined at 95% confidence intervals by analyzing the data on a computer loaded with Finney Programme.