I am using the seaweed extract, extracted by alkaloid method, as a cell treatment. The problem is that although many literatures suggest that it helps the growth, I don't see it on my plant cells. I used different concentrations of it from 0.001 g/ L to 0.5g/L. in higher concentrations it kills the cells and in lower doesn't help? What can I do? is it any suggestion?
best,
if its extract can kill cells, try applying the extract against tumor cell lines
I would like to suggest you to use concentration in serial dilution from 0.002 to 0.2g/L, you will get your possible MIC. There may be a problem that crude extract may have some toxin or any other acid which is killing the cells, in such a condition you should find out the real concentration of your compound that may be an alkaloid, terpene, sterol or any other acid. Usually vitamins, proteins, amino acids, short peptides, sugars, lipids and vitamins in natural extracts support plant growth but saponins and toxins work against the cell physiology and show inhibitory effect.
One of the primary active components of seaweed extract has been claimed to be Auxin. I forget where this was published but many of the effects attributed to Seaweed extract would in fact be expected to occur as a result of Auxin application. The method of extraction used on the seaweed will likely influence the content of the extract. By alkaloid method do you mean an acid/ base (polar/nonpolar) extraction? Auxin is not an alkaloid (depending on ones definition of Alkaloid) as it is not basic. Auxin (Indole Acetic Acid) is an indole 3 carboxylic acid. While indole alkaloids can in most cases be extracted via acid/base extractions IAA may behave differently. Also Indoles are subject to degradation by UV light, metals (Fe especially), and possibly high acidity. Any of these would likely impact the final extract.
Thanks, the thing is that the same extract has been used for other analyses on whole plants like Arabidopsis and the result showed better growth and stress reduction effects. So, do you think that for the cells it must work the same and the problem is that I didn't find the right concentration of the extract?
Regards,
That would be the most likely explanation. Seeds and plants can vary greatly in their response to exogenous Plant Growth Regulators. A concentration which stimulates growth in one plant may inhibit it in a plant of a different species. Also there are metabolites of endogenous PGR's such as Auxin which have been hypothesized to have a much greater impact on growth then the Auxin (IAA) itself. One of these would be Methylene Oxindole. Plants also have feedback mechanisms involved in PGR metabolism. This has been hypothesized to be a cause of variable effects of synthetic Auxins vs IAA.
I would also suspect that the seaweed extract could vary in composition between batches. It would be useful to employ arabidopsis as a control if you are familiar with its response so that you can have some idea as to the quality of the extract.
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