A laboratory study of the toxicity of the butanol extract of endod (Phytolacca dodecandra) on two species of freshwater fish and two species of aquatic snails.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of the butanol extract of Endod (Phytolacca dodecandra) on 4 species of aquatic animals. Groups of 10 mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) and 8 bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) were exposed to the butanol extract of Endod in 300 ml of water at concentrations of 0.0, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.2 or 2.0 ppm. Groups of 10 tropical snails (Biomphalaria glabrata) and 10 pond snails (Physa spp) were also exposed to the crude extract in 50 ml of water at concentrations of 0.0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.2, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0 or 5.0 ppm. Following a 24-h exposure period, the test subjects were transferred to extract-free water and observed for an additional 24 h. The number of dead animals was determined after the total 48-h concentration was plotted on logarithmic (probit) graph paper and the concentration of Endod which killed 50% of the test subjects (LC50) was determined. The butanol extract of Endod was lethal to 50% of the fish and snails at relatively low concentrations (less than 3.0 ppm). The results also indicated that fish were approximately 2 to 4 times more sensitive to Endod than snails.