Teratogenic Activity of Exotic Mushrooms onthe Developing Embryos of ZebraFish (Danio Rerio)

Abstract

In the present work, the toxic and teratogenic activities of the three selected exotic Pleurotus species namely, Pleurotus djamour, Pleurotus citrinopileatus and Pleurotus ostreatus hot water extracts were examined on zebrafish embryos as in-vivo model. The bioactive compositions of the air-dried mushrooms were obtained through hot water extraction. Embryos at 12 hour post fertilization (hpf) were exposed to the different concentrations (3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1% and 0.0%) of the three extracts in the 96-well-ELISA plates. Mortality, hatchability, heartbeat rate and morphological malformations of zebrafish embryos were determined. The results of the study highlighted that the lethal effects of the three mushroom extracts were found dependent on dose and time of exposure. At 12 hpta, among the three extracts, 3% (highest concentration evaluated) of P. djamour extract showed the highest percentage mortality, with a mean of 83.33%, while P. citrinopileatus had the lowest with a mean of 41.67%. Percentage mortality of 100% was significantly recorded in embryo treated with 1% or higher concentrations of extracts of the three Pleurotusspecies after 48hours of exposure. The percent hatchability of embryos treated with 0.1% and 0.5% of extracts of the selected mushrooms were significantly lower than the controlled embryos. No hatched embryo was recorded in 1% or higher concentrations for both P. djamour and P. ostreatus and in 0.5% or higher concentrations for P. citrinopileatus extract. Tail malformation was the most marked morphological abnormality in embryos at 72-hpta, which was obviously caused by 0.1% and 0.5% extract. Growth retardation was evident in embryos exposed to 0.5% of P. djamourand P. ostreatusextracts and 0.1% of P. citrinopiletus extract. Taken the data together, the three Pleurotusspecies exhibited toxic and teratogenic activities against zebrafish embryo model, which strongly suggests that these selected mushrooms could be important sources of bioactive teratogen compounds that could be developed as anticancer drugs.