Bioassays on Periploca graeca L. (Silk vine)

Abstract

Silk vine, Periploca graeca L. (Asclepiadaceae) which is a poisonous plant, was collected in July 1997 from Eskisehir (Asagi Kuplu-Mayislar Village). The methanolic extracts of the air dried leaves and twigs were separately subjected to a series of simple benchtop biological assays. Brine- shrimp in vivo lethality bioassay. Lemma bioassay for plant growth promoters or inhibitors, antifungal and antibacterial bioassays, insecticidal bioassay, nematocidal bioassay and antileishmanial assay were performed using the crude methanolic extracts of the plant. Promising results were obtained especially on the antileishmanial assay. The bioassay results are reported here.