INSECTICIDAL AND ARTEMIA TOXICITY OF SEA ANEMONES STICHODACTYLA HADONII AND ANTHOPLEURA ELEGANTISSIMA COLLECTED IN KANYAKUMARI COASTAL WATERS, GULF OF MANNAR.

This study examined the cytotoxic potential of two anemones found in the coastal waters of Kanyakumari. The crude extracts were tested for cytotoxicity using the brine shrimp and rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae .The crude Diethylether extract of anemone indicated the highest activity with LC50 value of (183.28μg/ml) by Anthopleura elegantissima crude extract and LC50 value of 164.99 μg/ml by Stichodactyla hadonii extracts. Brine shrimp lethality assay showed that the diethyl ether crude extracts of Anthopleura elegantissima produced 50% mortality at 100 mg concentration at 5th hour of the experiment. The 100 mg concentrations of diethyl ether and butanol extracts were also good enough to bring the 50% mortality The 80:20 chloroform: acetone column purified fractions of anthopleura elegantissim at a concentration of 500mg caused 100% mortality. Also the 100% acetone fractions of S. hadonii showed a prominent effect on the tested Artemia nauplii. Further studies are necessary for a better characterization of the active principles of these extracts and a possible elucidation of the mechanisms of action.