Developmental Toxicity Assessment of Drymaria Cordata (Linn.) Willd using Zebrafish Embryo

Drymaria cordata (Linn.) Willd is a creeping herb belonging to the Caryophyllaceae family, widely used as a traditional medicine in Africa and North-east India for various ailments. Many therapeutic applications of D. cordata have been reported in various scientific studies, but the teratogenicity study of this herb has not been documented till now.

The present study aimed to assess the developmental toxic effect and median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of methanol extract of Drymaria cordata leaf (DCME) using zebrafish embryos. After spawning of male and female zebrafish, healthy zebrafish embryos were selected by microscopic screening and transferred into 96-well plate for the study. Embryos were exposed to DCME at concentrations ranging from 50-400 μg/ml in 2% DMSO from 24 hpf to 72 hpf.

Developmental and morphological abnormalities were microscopically evaluated. Fifty percent lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of DCME was determined by observation from 24 hpf to 72 hpf. The concentration-dependent toxic effects of DCME on developing embryos of zebrafish were found in the study in a time-dependent manner.

At 72 hpf, the median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of DCME was found with visible developmental defects, such as heartbeat rate, less pigmentation, oedema, spinal curvature, immature yolk sac as well as reduced hatching rate and a slow growth. The median lethal dose was found to be 448 μg/ml at 72 hpf for zebra fish embryos, meriting further studies on toxicological profiling of the plants.