Thorn Apple Research Articles

Unexpected crystalluria: Report of three cases

Detection and reporting of crystals in urine is an integral part of a clinical laboratory. Presence of crystals is not always pathological and affected by a variety of pre analytical factors. Pathologically significant crystals are rare and seen in acidic urine. Here we report three such cases where urine crystals posed a reporting dilemma. Case 1: 3-year-old male child with nephrotic syndrome showed thorn apple shaped ammonium biurate crystals in urine with pH 6.8. Ammonium biurate crystals are seen in alkaline urine and this scenario of slightly acidic urine and background of nephrotic syndrome is a usual one. Case 2: 10-year-old male with fever, jaundice and hepatomegaly showed a urine pH of 5.6 and yellow round leucine crystals with radiating striations. Leucine crystals are indicative of severe liver damage and the child was found to have chronic Hepatitis B infection. Case 3: 35-year-old female with generalised weakness and prutitis, showed a urine pH of 6 and fine needle like clusters of bilirubin crystals. These crystals are rare and occur in background of severe hyperbiliribinemia, the patient was found to have a carcinoma involving head of pancreas. Morphology, solubility testing with organic/mineral acids and alkali aids in diagnosis under unexpected scenarios.

ارزیابی ویژگیهای فیزیولوژیک، بیوشیمیایی و زراعی تاتوره (Datura stramonium L.) تحت اثر باقیمانده سیستمهای کشت متداول و کمنهاده

در راستای کشت گیاه دارویی تاتوره در نظام زراعی کم­نهاده، آزمایشی به­صورت کرت­های یک­بار خردشده در قالب طرح بلوک­های کامل تصادفی با سه تکرار در ایستگاه تحقیقات کشاورزی بایع­کلا (مازندران) در سال­های 1395 و 1396 اجرا شد. کرت اصلی شامل کودهی در پنج سطح (کودهای شیمیایی(NPK)، کود دامی، کمپوست، ورمی­کمپوست و عدم مصرف کود آلی و معدنی) و کرت فرعی شامل کودهای زیستی در پنج سطح (نیتروکسین، بیوفسفات، نیتروکسین + بیوفسفات، نانوبیومیک و عدم کاربرد کود زیستی و نانوزیستی) بودند. نتایج نشان داد بیشترین ارتفاع بوته (21/172 سانتی­متر)، تعداد شاخه در بوته (59/63)، تعداد برگ در بوته (99/230)، سطح برگ کل بوته (93/6567 سانتی­متر مربع)، وزن خشک برگ (33/477 گرم در بوته)، کلروفیل a، b و کاروتنوئید کل (به­ترتیب 806/1، 373/1 و 473/0 میلی­گرم در گرم وزن تر)، کربوهیدرات کل برگ (47/45 میلی­گرم در گرم وزن خشک)، پروتئین دانه (10/26 درصد)، میزان الکالوئید کل برگ و دانه (به­ترتیب 04/62 و 94/12 میلی­گرم در گرم وزن خشک)، تعداد کپسول در بوته (57/59)، تعداد دانه در کپسول (84/456)، وزن هزار دانه (02/9 گرم) و عملکرد دانه (4/7927 کیلوگرم در هکتار) به تلفیق کودهای ورمی­کمپوست و نانوبیومیک تعلق داشت. بنابراین باتوجه به ضرورت تولید گیاهان دارویی در نظام­های زراعی کم­نهاده و کارایی بالای اثر تلفیق کودهای ورمی­کمپوست و نانوبیومیک، مصرف یک­سال در میان این تیمار جهت بهبود ویژگی­های فیزیولوژیک، بیوشیمیایی و زراعی تاتوره توصیه می­گردد.

Facing tropane alkaloid contamination in millet

Thorn Apple or Jimson Weed (Datura stramonium) is a tropane alkaloid containing widespread pest plant growing in central Europe. This pest predominantly occurs in millet, buckwheat and maize cultivation. Therefore, sound cleaning of these crops is just as pivotal as reliable analytics. The cleaning of millet at laboratory scale with commercial mechanical cleaning devices, such as sieves, indented separators or table sorters without using colour sorters, reduces the dark coloured Datura seed content by up to 99%. Nevertheless, the few remaining Datura seeds (up to one nut per 30 kg) could lead to an exceedance of the European Union (EU) limit values for tropane alkaloids in baby food. However, plant material other than seeds or even invisible abrasion of Datura seeds can contaminate the millet during harvest, handling, cleaning processes or crop transportation. Contamination originating from adhesive dust can be removed by dehulling the kernels, and a reduction below the EU detection limit could be achieved.

An electrochemical sensing of phenolic derivative 4-Cyanophenol in environmental water using a facile-constructed Aurivillius-structured Bi2MoO6

Harmful chemicals are always found in the environment and it is necessary to construct a viable sensor to detect those chemicals. In order to construct an electrochemical sensing platform, designing an electrode using bismuth mixed oxides are more important and which grabbed more attention due to its high electrocatalytic ability and conductivity. In this literature, we report a facile synthesis of thorn apple like structured pure bismuth molybdate (Bi2MoO6) using a simple hydrothermal assisted one-step calcination method and we report a facile method to sense 4-cyanophenol by electrochemical technique. Bi2MoO6 modified (Glassy Carbon electrode) GCE possess two linear ranges 0.1–39.1 µM and 46.6–110.1 µM with excellent detection limit 0.008297 µM and 0.01097 µM. Also, this novel sensor is steady with good stability, repeatability, and reproducibility. Successfully, the environmental water sample is analyzed as a real sample with a feasible and quantification results which were compared with HPLC analysis.

Investigation of the structure-property relationship in binder free asymmetric supercapacitor device based on NiCo2O4.nH2O nanostructures

Hierarchical metal oxide nanostructures emerge as the promising candidate for energy storage application due to their huge surface area, porosity and interconnected electron transport pathways. In this article, we report for the first time the electrochemical properties of very uniform and efficient thorn apple fruit like nickel cobaltite nanostructures of different forms and investigated the structure-property relationship. NiCo2O4 is directly grown over the Ni-foam by a cheap, scalable and facile hydrothermal technique and characterized for structural, morphological and porous characteristics. Electrochemical properties are determined by conducting cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance analysis. The non-annealed NiCo2O4.nH2O possesses mesoporous nanostructure with pore size centering between 3 and 10 nm which being the optimum size enables the material to exhibit best electrochemical properties. Specific capacity reaches as high as 670C/g for NiCo2O4.nH2O at 0.5 A/g current density. Asymmetric supercapacitor device is fabricated by combining binder free cathode and activated carbon and investigated for device performance. Specific capacity, energy and power density as high as 129C/g, 55.9 Wh/kg and 751.4 W/kg are achieved at 0.5A/g current density with the fabricated device. The device exhibits 98% retention of specific capacity after 10,000 cycles demonstrating its potential for high energy durable supercapacitor application.

Field Trial of Three Plant Extracts against Tetranychus urticae Population as a Comparative with Acaricidal (Abamectin) on Two Vegetable Crops

Effects of thorn apple or jimsonweed Datura stramonium (Solanaceae) leaves, Egyptian henbane Hyoscoyamus muticus (Solanaceae) flowers and physic nut Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae) seeds. Extracts were studied for their efficacy against Two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae comparative with acaricidal Vertemic. The plants were extracted by Acetone and spraying on eggplant crop Solanum molongena (Solanacae) and bean crop Phasolus vulgaris (Fabaceae) at concentration 4% in infected fields. The reduction percentages of the population were determined after 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days from treatments and data were analysed by Anova table and mortality percentages were calculated by Abbot’s formula. From these study it was concluded that, the plant extracts are more effective as acaricides because they recorded highly reduction percentages for T. urticae. D. stramonium reach 92.30 and 94.12 mortality on eggplant and bean respectively, J. curcas recorded 90.58 and 90.56% reduction percentages on S. molongena and P. vulgaris respectively while the extract of H. muticus recorded 95.40 and 87.46% mortality rates on the same crops respectably. On the other hand Vertemic was more effective on T. urticae.

POTENTIAL OF AQUEOUS OZONE FOR THE IN VITRO STERILIZATION PROCEDURE OF SOLANACEAE

Objective: This research aimed to verify the use of aqueous ozone as an alternative sterilizer for in vitro sterilization procedure.
 Methods: Three species of Solanaceae were selected based on their trichomes. They are thorn apple (Datura metel L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena), and tomato (Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium). The treatment used four levels of concentrations; K0 (NaOCl – control), K1 (AO 0.1 ppm), and K2 (AO 0.5 ppm), K3 (1 ppm) and it employed three types of leaves, namely, D1 (thorn apple), D2 (eggplant), and D3 (tomato). The data were analyzed by analysis of variance univariate two factors and followed by Duncan’s multiple comparisons test.
 Results: This assay showed that the effect of ozone was almost immediately against microorganisms, and the optimum ozone concentration depends on the types of the leaf. Both levels of ozone concentration and types of leaves had a significantly different effect (p<0.05), and there is no interaction between aqueous ozone concentration and types of leaves (p>0.05). The level of sterility in K0 is 77, 78%, K1 is 22, 22%, K2 is 44, 44%, and K3 is 100%. Ozone 1 ppm had the highest result, but there is no viable explant because they got damage in their cells.
 Conclusions: Aqueous ozone showed good potential to inhibit the growth of microorganisms for the in vitro sterilization procedure of Solanaceae.

Evaluation of comparative Hypoglycaemic activity of ethanolic leaves extracts of datura stramonium and Eclipta alba

Datura stramonium is a yearly plant belongs to family Solanaceae. Datura stramonium is generally known as jimson weed or thorn apple. Eclipta alba is commonly known as False Daisy or Bhringraj, a plant having a place with the family Asteraceae. Diabetes was produce in overnight fasted male Wistar rats (160-250 mg/kg) by interparitonial injection of 150 mg/kg body weight of alloxan. Alloxan monohydrate 150 mg/kg, b.w was dissolved in normal saline and injected I.P after 18 hours fasting. The rats were then given 4% w/v glucose solution in feeding bottle for the next 24 h in their cages to inhibit hypoglycemia. The rats will be divided into 7 groups of 6 animals each, total 42 animals used. Ethanolic extract of both plants (datura stramonium and eclipta alba) given in dose of 100, 200 mg/kg b.w and 200, 400 mg/kg b.w ethanolic extracts of both plants are administered orally for 14 days, in a single dose daily seven days after confirmation of hyperglycemia. Standard drug Glibenclamid & ethanolic leaves extracts of datura stramonium and eclipta Alba were administered orally for 14 days, in a single dose daily 7 days after confirmation of hyperglycemia. Significantly reversed decrease in body weight seen in diabetes. The dose of 200, mg/kg b.w /day of ethanolic extract of leaves datura and 400 mg/kg b.w/day of ethanolic extract of eclipta alba leaves were found to be having maximum activity.

Phytotoxic Effects of Thorn apple (Datua stramonium L.) Seed Aqueous Extract on Seed Germination of some Cereal Crops Using Probit Analysis

Solanaceae plants are strong allelopathic in nature as they produce and release many chemical compounds into the environment. This study was carried out to investigate the phytotoxic effects of the seeds aqueous extract of thorn apple (Datua stramonium L.) on seed germination of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench), millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.), maize (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum vulgare L.) using probit analysis. Laboratory experiments were carried out at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, Sudan in season 2014/15. Ten concentrations (4.62, 9.26, 13.87, 18.51, 23.12, 27.74, 32.36, 36.98, 41.61 and 46.28 g/l) of the seeds aqueous extract of D. stramonium were prepared from the stock solution (100 g / l). A control with sterilized-distilled water was included for comparison. Treatments were arranged in completely randomized design with four replicates. The seeds were examined for inhibition (%) in germination at three days after initial germination. Data were transformed using Abbott’s formula and subjected to probit analysis (P  0.5). The results showed that the seeds aqueous extract of D. stramonium inhibited the seed germination of the tested cereal crops and there was direct positive relationship between concentration (g/l) and inhibition (%). The results also showed that the seeds of wheat (LC50 = 22.6 g/l) were most sensitive to the seeds aqueous extract of thorn apple followed by the seeds of sorghum (LC50 = 26.5 g/l) and maize (LC50 = 27.9 g/l). However, the extract was less toxic to the seeds of millet (LC50 = 32.2 g/l). It was concluded that that the aqueous extract of thorn apple (D. stramonium L.) was phytotoxic to the seed germination of the tested cereal crops.

English

Datura stramonium more commonly known as Jimson weed or thorn apple is a wide growing flowering plant which has been employed by the local community to treat several ailments in Ethiopia. The purpose of the present work was to assess the antibacterial activity of ethanol, methanol, acetone, chloroform and water extracts of Datura stramonium leaf extracts using broth dilution and agar well diffusion methods against human pathogenic bacteria. Chloroform extracts showed the highest zone of inhibition against most of the tested bacterial strains at the concentration of 50 mg/ml. Water extracts are not able to show any zone of inhibition against all tested bacterial strains as compared to other four solvents used for extraction. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined by standard methods. The MIC and MBC results range from 6.25 to 12.5 mg/ml. The present work shows that D. stramonium has maximum antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923; 18.2±2.1 mm) in the chloroform extract, while the minimum antibacterial activity was recorded against Escherichia coli clinical isolate (8.2±1.8 mm) (acetone extract). Chloroform extracts showed the highest zone of inhibition against most of the pathogenic bacterial strains tested as compared to the other solvents used for the extraction. In this study, D. stramonium leaf extracts showed considerable antibacterial activity that sustains the local residential area which uses this plant to treat bacterial and fungal infections, hence leading to the conclusion that, this plant would serve as sources of antimicrobial agents to obtain the best treatment alternatives for the infective disease. Further investigation of this potential antibacterial agent is required, especially using chloroform as an extraction solvent to precisely demonstrate the antimicrobial effects of the plant. Key words: Antibacterial activity, Datura stramonium, minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), zone of inhibition.

Methanol Extract of Seeds of Datura Stramonium L. Show Antioxidant Activities, Inhibit MCF-7 Cell Proliferation

Background: Datura stramonium besides having several names, is commonly dubbed as thorn apple and jimsonweed weed, belongs to the family of Solanaceae and is found in many regions throughout tropical and subtropical regions. Datura seeds and leaves are used as antiasthmatic, antispasmodic, hypnotic and narcotic. Externally, the jimson seeds are used in treating of fistulas and abscesses. Datura has been used in Ayurveda for asthma symptoms where jimson weed’s leaves are smoked in cigarette or pipe. Objectives: Present study investigates the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of MEDS. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant assays such as DPPH˙ radical, superoxide radical, ABTS˙+ radical cation, OH˙ radical scavenging assays, Phoshomolybdenum reduction and Fe3+ reducing power assays were investigated. Thin layer chromatography was performed to find out compounds present in the methanol extract. In vitro cytotoxic activity for MCF7 (breast cancer) cell line was too studied by MTT reagent assay method. Results: IC50 values of DPPH˙ radical, superoxide radical, ABTS˙+ radical cation, OH˙ radical scavenging assays were 35.26, 10.50, 49.36 µg/mL concentration respectively. TLC analysis showed the presence of compounds with Rfvalues of 0.76 and 0.58 in the methanol extract of D. stramonium.The cytotoxic activity for MCF7 cell line was 66.84% at 500 µg/mL concentration of methanol extract. Conclusion: There is a potential of MEDS as a source of Antioxidants and anti-proliferative activities. Further research work required to isolate active compounds for clinical therapeutics.

Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Methanol Extract of Seeds of Datura stramonium l

Background: Datura stramonium belongs to the family Solanaceae which is commonly dubbed as thorn apple or jimson weed, and is abundant throughout tropical and subtropical regions. Datura seeds and leaves are used as anti-asthmatic, antispasmodic, hypnotic and narcotic. Externally, the jimson seeds are used in treating fistulas and abscesses. It has been used by the British soldiers to treat respiratory problems. Datura has also finds its utility in Ayurveda for asthma symptoms where jimson weed’s leaves are smoked in cigarette or pipe. Objectives: Aim of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of methanol extract of seeds of D. stramonium. Materials and Methods: Antioxidant assays such as DPPH˙ radical, superoxide radical, ABTS˙+ radical cation, OH˙ radical scavenging assays, Phoshomolybdenum reduction and Fe3+ reducing power assays were investigated. Thin layer chromatography was performed to find out compounds present in the methanol extract. in vitro cytotoxic activity for MCF7 (breast cancer) cell line was too studied by MTT reagent assay method. Results: IC50 values of DPPH˙ radical, superoxide radical, ABTS˙+ radical cation, OH˙ radical scavenging assays were 35.26, 10.50, 49.36 μg/mL concentration respectively. TLC analysis showed the presence of compounds with Rf values of 0.76 and 0.58 in the methanol extract of D. stramonium. Cytotoxic activity for MCF7 cell line was 66.84% at 500 μg/mL concentration of methanol extract. Conclusion: Here Current study corroborates that D. stramonium is enriched with fine source of significant natural oxidants with anticancer agents and has therapeutic potential for treatment of diseases, induced by oxidative stress, Further research work is required to isolate active compounds for clinical trials.

Datura: The Roadside Poison

Datura is a genus in the family Solanaceae (Latin: quieting) that contains 9 species, namely Datura ceratocaula, Datura discolor, Datura ferox, Datura inoxia, Datura leichhardtii, Datura metel, Datura quercifolia, Datura stramonium, and Datura wrightii. Etymologically the word datura is derived from a Sanskrit word, dhatur. It is also known as yangjinhua, tatala, and stinkblaar in Chinese, Turkish, and Afrikaans, respectively. It came to be known as Jamestown or Jimson weed as a result of its involvement in an accidental poisoning in Jamestown, VA. Other common names for Datura are devil’s apple, devil’ st rumpet, thorn apple, belladonna, metelnut, deadly nightshade, and solanum. Datura is an annual herb (occasionally short-lived perennial) that attains a height up to 2 m. This herb has 10- to 20-cm-long and 5- to 18-cm-wide lobed alternate leaves. The other distinguishing feature is the erect 5- to 20-cm-long trumpet-shaped white to pale purple flowers. The 4- to 10-cm-long and 2- to 6-cm-broad fruit of Datura has a spiny capsule, hence the name thorn apple. The ripe fruit splits open, dispersing numerous kidney-shaped seeds over pastures, fields, or wastelands (Figure). Datura (devil’s trumpet) has structural resemblance to the genus

Trends in Abuse of Biogenic Drugs in Parts of Germany 2007-2013

Based on an abundance of information on the internet, psychotropic plants and mushrooms are of increasing relevance as legal and cheap alternatives to other illicit drugs. Due to the lack of a German database, the abuse of selected biogenic drugs using reported exposures to 3 German Poison Information Centres (PICs) was examined. Information on abuse of biogenic drugs was collected from the German PICs in Berlin, Erfurt and Fribourg (2007-2013). 602 drug abuses were reported to the selected PICs. 52% reported consumption of tropane alkaloid-containing plants (Angel's trumpet, Thorn apple, Belladonna), 25% of psilocybin-containing mushrooms and 10% of nutmeg. Angel's trumpet was identified as the most abused plant. Consumers of tropane alkaloid-containing plants were mainly adolescents, whereas the majority of the abusers of psilocybin-containing mushrooms and nutmeg were rather young grown-ups and school children, respectively. A preponderance of moderate and severe effects (55%) could be noticed for exposures to tropane alkaloid-containing plants. More than 90% of suspected cases of tropane alkaloid-containing as well as psilocybin-containing plants abuse resulted in the treatment recommendation 'surveillance in hospital'. Mydriasis, hallucinations, tachycardia and agitation were the main symptoms after the abuse of biogenic drugs. The data from the PICs suggest abuse of biogenic drugs in parts of Germany. A decreasing trend is observed, probably caused by the competition with new synthetic designer drugs. The results underline the dominance of Angel's trumpet in the abuse of biogenic drugs and emphasize the importance of easy accessibility for the abuse of biogenic drugs. Unexpectedly, the number of nutmeg abuse cases increased during the investigated period.

Effects of Sowing Date on Some Agronomic Characteristics and Alkaloid Content of Datura Stramonium in Semi-Arid Conditions

Abstract Alkaloids of diferent plant, including many Solanaceae species, constitute important natural sources for variety of pharmaceutical products. The amounts of various secondary plant products are strongly dependent on the growing conditions and agronomical applications such as planting date, fertilization, irrigation etc. The aim of this was to study the effects of sowing date on some agronomic characteristics and total alkaloid content of thorn apple (Datura stramonium), investigated in the environmental conditions from Dicle University, Agricultural Faculty, Field Crops Department experimental area, during 2010 and 2011 growing years. In the research, plant height, stem diameter, number of branches per plant, number of capsule per plant, capsule width, capsule length, 1000-seed weight, fresh herb yield, herba yield, seed yield and total alkaloid content were examined. At the end of the study, in the trial of thorn apple with sowing dates, according to two years mean, seed yield, fresh herb yield, dry herb yield and total alkaloid yield were changed between 335 kg ha−1 and 704 kg ha−1, 5933 and 20537 kg ha−1, 1613 kg ha−1 and 4800 kg ha−1, and 0.270% and 0.391%, respectively. The effect of sowing date was found significant on the investigated characteristics, when sowing delayed, agronomic characteristics were also decreased. The highest values related with seed yield, fresh and dry herbage of thorn apple were obtained sowing of 01 Apr. Moreover, thorn apple plant showed morphogenetic variation when compared leaf and seed alkaloid contents.

ROOT SECONDARY GROWTH IN THORN APPLE AND HOT PEPPER PLANT SPECIES AT DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES

ROOT SECONDARY GROWTH IN THORN APPLE AND HOT PEPPER PLANT SPECIES AT DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES

The Effect of Salinity on Solamargine and Solasonine Contents of Solanum incanum Plants Grown in Oman

In addition to its traditional medicinal importance, Solanum incanum (thorn apple) is also a rich source of important cytotoxic glycoalkaloids such as solamargine and solasonine. The effect of salinity stress on solamargine and solasonine production by Solanum incanum plants grown in soil has been investigated. Salinity stress has been applied by adding NaCl to the soil, in concentrations: 0.0 (control), 75, 150, and 225 mM for 8 weeks. HPTLC method was used for analysis of solamargine and solasonine in leaves, stem and roots. A positive correlation was observed between 150 mM NaCl salinity and production of solamargine and solasonine in leaves. In roots, solamargine content was not affected by NaCl treatment, whereas solasonine content increased with a short-term salinity treatment. However, salinity seems to reduce the production of solamargine and solasonine in the roots of Solanum incanum. The possibility of using NaCl as an efficient and economical elicitor of glycoalkaloid production in Solanum incanum plants is rejected on the basis of the results obtained.

Intra- and inter-laboratory validation of a dipstick immunoassay for the detection of tropane alkaloids hyoscyamine and scopolamine in animal feed

Tropane alkaloids (TAs) are toxic secondary metabolites produced by plants of, inter alia, the genera Datura (thorn apple) and Atropa (deadly nightshade). The most relevant TAs are (–)-L-hyoscyamine and (–)-L-scopolamine, which act as antagonists of acetylcholine muscarinic receptors and can induce a variety of distinct toxic syndromes in mammals (anti-cholinergic poisoning). The European Union has regulated the presence of seeds of Datura sp. in animal feeds, specifying that the content should not exceed 1000 mg kg–1 (Directive 2002/32/EC). For materials that have not been ground, visual screening methods are often used to comply with these regulations, but these cannot be used for ground materials and compound feeds. Immunological assays, preferably in dipstick format, can be a simple and cost-effective approach to monitor feedstuffs in an HACCP setting in control laboratories. So far no reports have been published on immunoassays that are capable of detecting both hyoscyamine and scopolamine with equal sensitivity and that can be used, preferably in dipstick format, for application as a fast screening tool in feed analysis. This study presents the results obtained for the in-house and inter-laboratory validation of a dipstick immunoassay for the detection of hyoscyamine and scopolamine in animal feed. The target level was set at 800 µg kg–1 for the sum of both alkaloids. By using a representative set of compound feeds during validation and a robust study design, a reliable impression of the relevant characteristics of the assay could be obtained. The dipstick test displayed similar sensitivity towards the two alkaloids and it could be concluded that the test has a very low probability of producing a false-positive result at blank level or a false-negative result at target level. The assay can be used for monitoring of TAs in feedstuffs, but has also potential as a quick screening tool in food- or feed-related poisonings.

English

This study investigated the in vitro chelating ability, antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of 70% ethanolic extract of thorn apple (Datura stramonium). The ethanolic root extract of the plant displayed potent chelating ability (70%) at the lowest concentration (2%) investigated. The chelating ability of the extract showed concentration dependency. There were significant decreases in vitro chelating ability of the root extract from 2 to 10% concentrations (P<0.05). The root extract also demonstrated exhibited concentration dependent increases in antioxidant activity, which were non-significant from 2 to 6% concentrations (P>0.05) and significant from 8 to 10% (P<0.05). The ethanolic root extract displayed maximum activity [106.20±0.84% standard deviation (SD)] at the highest concentration (10%). The preliminary phytochemical screening of the aqueous extract of D. stramonium revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannin and alkaloid, but saponin was absent. The aqueous root extract of the plant also exhibited potent antioxidant potential (71.00%) at 2% concentration. The antioxidant activity of the aqueous root extract of the plant closely approximated the antioxidant activity of the ethanolic root extract of the plant (71.00 and 71.40%, at different concentrations, 2 and 5%, respectively). The aqueous root extract of the plant showed good in vitro nitric oxide radical scavenging activity (67.80%). The absolute and 70% acetone root extracts of the plant were dull nitric oxide scavengers (33.38 and 26.00%, respectively). The total flavonoid and phenolic contents of ethanolic root extract of D. stramonium showed non-significant increases as the concentration increased (P>0.05). The ethanolic root extract failed chelate ion at the highest concentration (10%) (-20.0% activity). Key words: Phytotoxicology, clinical toxicology, iron-overload, clinical medicine, natural product.

Sub-lethal and lethal effects of Datura stramonium L. leaf extracts on the European red mite Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) and its predator, Stethorus gilvifrons (Muls.) (Col.: Coccinellidae)

Ethanol extracts obtained from the leaf of the thorn apple (Datura stramonium L.) (Solanaceae) were examined for lethal and repellent properties against adults of the European red mite Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae) and its predator Stethorus gilvifrons (Muls.) (Col.: Coccinellidae) under laboratory conditions. The Petri leaf disc-spray tower method was used. The results showed that D. stramonium leaf extracts were lethal to both the mite and its predator. Furthermore, an increase in the dose of leaf extract caused a significant increase in the death rates of both P. ulmi and S. gilvifrons adults. Probit analysis and parameter estimation showed that the LC50 values of leaf extract were 7097.5 and 1853.9 mg/l at 24 h residual activity for spider mite and ladybird adults, respectively. The mite and ladybird mortality rates associated with the extract were higher at 48 h than at 24 h, with LC50 values of 2013 and 1030 mg/l, respectively. However, the LC90 values of the extract were lower for ladybirds than for spider mites at both 24 and 48 h. According to Pearson’s chi-squared test, both spider mite and ladybird adults showed strong aversions to apple leaf surfaces sprayed with sub-lethal doses of the extract (from 13.72 to 1058.0 mg/l). Moreover, an odour test using a two-choice olfactometer demonstrated that ladybird adults prefer fresh air to the extract odour. These results suggest that D. stramonium extract can be used effectively as a safer phytopesticidal product for the management of P. ulmi in both organic and inorganic apple production, but it is not suitable for use in integrated pest management strategies due to its toxic and repellent effects against S. gilvifrons.