ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the potential of anemonin and Clematis flammula (C. flammula) extracts against infective organisms.@*METHODS@#The molluscicidal activities of anemonin and C. flammula extracts against Galba truncatula Müll. (Lymnaeidae) and Fasciola hepatica larval stages contaminating this snail in Tunisia were assessed by testing six groups of snails in 250 mL of extracts and aqueous dechlorinated solutions with different concentrations (ranging from 2.5 to 20.0 mg/L) for 48 h. Besides, the antifungal potential of C. flammula leaves and flowers was evaluated by using the diffusion agar and broth dilution methods against four fungal strains: Aspergillus niger, Pythium catenulatum, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium phyllophilum.@*RESULTS@#As a result, hexane and ethyl acetate flower extracts exhibited significant molluscicidal activities with LC median lethal concentrations values of 11.87 and 11.65 mg/L, respectively while LC value of anemonin was 9.64 mg/L after 48 h exposure. The flower extracts showed a larvicidal effect with a deterioration rate exceeding 35.39% where flower ethyl acetate residue gave a deterioration rate of cercariae close to 97%. Moreover, C. flammula extracts were not noxious to the associated fauna survival. All extracts inhibited the growth of P. catenulatum, the leaves and flowers methanolic extracts had the more important fungicide action with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 1.56 and 3.12 mg/mL together with minimum fungistatic concentrations of 3.12 and 6.25 mg/mL respectively. Only flower extracts were active against Rhizoctonia solani with minimum inhibitory concentrations varying between 0.70 and 1.56 mg/mL and 6.25 mg/mL of minimum fungistatic concentration. Phytochemical tests showed that the antifungal activity may be attributed to the presence of the flavonoids/saponins in the methanolic extracts and the molluscicide effects could be due to the richness of hexane and ethyl acetate extracts on sterols and triterpenoids.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This study emphasizes the important molluscicidal and antiparasitic effects of flower ethyl acetate extracts and anemonin compound as well as the considerable antifungal activities of methanolic extracts. These results improve the therapeutic virtues of C. flammula aerial part extracts.
ABSTRACT
The present study focuses on effects of untreated and treated ink industry wastewater on germination of maize, barley and sorghum. Wastewater had a high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and metal content compared to treated effluent. Germination decreased with increasing COD concentration. Speed of germination also followed the same trend, except for maize seeds exposed to untreated effluent (E), which germinated slightly faster than controls. These alterations of seedling development were mirrored by changes in soluble protein content. E exerted a positive effect on soluble protein content and maximum levels occurred after 10 days with treated effluent using coagulation/flocculation (TEc/f) process and treated effluent using combined process (coagulation/flocculation/biosorption) (TEc/f/b). Likewise, activity of α-amylase was influenced by effluent composition. Its expression depended on the species, exposure time and applied treatment. Nevertheless, current results indicated TEc/f/b had no observable toxic effects on germination and could be a beneficial alternative resource to irrigation water.
