Poster: Education

Abs # 38: Assaying properties of medicinal plants as long term projects in plant physiology laboratory using antitumor, antibacterial, and toxicity testing protocols

Presenter:	Ellis, Jane P., jellis@presby.edu
Authors	Ellis, Jane P. (A)   Coker, Pamela S. (B)   Camper, N. Dwight  (B)
Affiliations:	(A): Presbyterian College (B): Clemson University

Inquiry laboratories in plant physiology providing research opportunities are often difficult to construct due to constraints of time and equipment. This paper describes one project that allows students to design, and carry out a series of open-ended “bench-top” experiments. During one of the earliest laboratories students were instructed to choose some known medicinal plant, do a literature search on the properties of the plant, and develop hypotheses as to the results of performing antitumor, antibacterial, and toxicity testing on their chosen medicinal. Over several laboratories the students were given instructions and then performed experiments assessing antitumorgenesis by means of the potato disc method using Agrobacterium tumefaciens (strain B6). Antibacterial activity was screened using the disc diffusion assay (Kirby-Bauer Method) with common gram negative and gram positive bacteria. A bioassay not performed but will be incorporated this fall is the radish seed test for toxicity. A final report was presented in lab along with a paper in journal style handed in. This counted as 30% of the final laboratory grade. Simple “bench-top” bioassays such as these provide convenient, rapid, and inexpensive means for students to understand and carry out research in the laboratory.