Research about the effects of Alcea rosea on larval and adult toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster

Since the existence of humans, plants have been used for various purposes, primarily for nutrition and treating or preventing diseases. Flavonoids, found in almost all plants, have increased the use of plants for therapeutic purposes in the field of medicine. However, the uncontrolled and unconscious use of medicinal plants has become a threat to human health. Alcea rosea L., commonly known as hollyhock, is a medicinal plant belonging to the Malvaceae family and is used in phytotherapy for its anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, analgesic, and hypoglycemic properties. In this study, the effects of A. rosea on larval and adult toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster's wild-type strain Oregon R were investigated for the first time. For this purpose, A. rosea methanolic extract was applied at three different concentrations: 25 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, and 75 mg/ml to larvae and adult individuals. The third instar larvae were used for the larval mortality experiment, and virgin females and newly emerged males were used for the adult toxicity experiment. The results showed that larval mortality increased by 11.39%, 14.59%, and 17.79% in the treatment groups compared to the negative control group. In the developing from larvae to adults, 46.61% of the flies showed anomalies, indicating the presence of low-quality individuals. The number of abnormal individuals increased with increasing concentration. In the adult toxicity experiment, the maximum lifespan for female individuals was 50,66 ± 13,43; 56,00 ± 14,14 and 53,00 ± 4,24 days for the treatment groups of 25 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, and 75 mg/ml, respectively, while for male individuals, it was 49,00 ± 14; 53,66 ± 12,50 and 61,66 ± 7,50 days. The mean lifespan for females was 35,15 ± 7,75; 31,21 ± 7,09 and 23,68 ± 1,08 days, and for males, it was 31,72 ± 3,32; 31,35 ± 4,95 and 26,24 ± 8,86 days. Compared to the negative control group, the maximum and mean lifespans of both female and male individuals decreased in the treatment groups except for the maximum lifespan of males at 75 mg/ml. In conclusion, when the mortality, mean, and maximum life span data that occur due to dose increasing in the treatment groups were compared with the negative control group, the differences between the groups are statistically significant.