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Ichtyotoxic activity of extracts from Mexican marine macroalgae

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Abstract

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 notoccur, 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 ofDictyota 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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Hidrobiología, Laboratorio de Ficología Aplicada., Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Apartado Postal 55-535, 09340, D. F., México

    Graciela De Lara-Isassi & Sergio Álvarez-Hernández

  2. Facultad de Ciencias, Laboratorio de Ficología., Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-620, Coyoacán, 04510, D. F., México

    Ligia Collado-Vides

Authors
  1. Graciela De Lara-Isassi
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  2. Sergio Álvarez-Hernández
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  3. Ligia Collado-Vides
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De Lara-Isassi, G., Álvarez-Hernández, S. & Collado-Vides, L. Ichtyotoxic activity of extracts from Mexican marine macroalgae. Journal of Applied Phycology 12, 45–52 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008103609841

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