Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
8672100 
Journal Article 
Ichtyotoxic activity of extracts from Mexican marine macroalgae 
De Lara-Isassi, G; Alvarez-Hernandez, S; Collado-Vides, L 
2000 
Yes 
Journal of Applied Phycology
ISSN: 0921-8971
EISSN: 1573-5176 
12 
1 
45-52 
WOS:000088076100006 
Seventy-three species of macroalgae from the Mexican Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean coast were screened for ichtyotoxic activity. Ethanolic, acetonic and aqueous extracts were prepared and tested against the fish Carassius auratus. The extracts were classified on the basis of their effects as: toxic if the fish died in two hours or less; moderately toxic, if the organism behaved abnormally but death did not occur, and non-toxic if the fish did not display any change. 79% species were ichtyotoxic to some degree. Extracts of 39 species were toxic, with at least one extract with lethal effects, 19 were moderately toxic and 15 species were non-toxic. Only the extracts of Dictyota bartayresiana, Dictyota cervicornis, Lobophora variegata, Bryothamnion triquetrum and Laurencia obtusa were toxic in all three solvents. The acetone and ethanol extracts were more active, and therefore are more suitable for extraction of toxic substances. 
ichtyotoxicity; macroalgae; marine algae; Mexico; seaweed; toxic extracts; toxicity