Profile of Secondary Metabolite and Toxicity of the Acetone Fraction of Cleome viscosa L. Using the Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT)

Abstract

Cleome viscosa L. is a flowering plant belonging to the family Cleomaceae that has long been used in traditional medicine. This study aimed to identify the classes of secondary metabolites present in the acetone fraction of C. viscosa L. and to evaluate its toxicity against Artemia salina Leach larvae. Powdered C. viscosa L. was extracted by maceration using methanol as the extraction solvent, followed by solvent fractionation. Phytochemical screening was carried out based on characteristic color reactions, while thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was performed to confirm the presence of the detected metabolites. Toxicity was evaluated using the Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) against A. salina larvae. The phytochemical screening and TLC analyses revealed that the acetone fraction of C. viscosa L. contained flavonoids and tannins. The BSLT assay demonstrated that the acetone fraction exhibited toxic activity against A. salina larvae, with an LC₅₀ value of 110.66 µg/mL. These findings indicate that the acetone fraction of C. viscosa L. is a promising source of bioactive compounds and warrants further investigation through the isolation, structural characterization, and biological evaluation of its active constituents.