Effects of Salicylic Acid on the Regeneration Rate of Dugesia Tigrina

Overview

Salicylic acid is a common pharmaceutical used to treat acne, dandruff, calluses, etc. It can be polluted into waterways from industrial waste and runoff from agricultural use, potentially impacting wildlife. Dugesia tigrina, a species of planaria, was used as an animal model to test the effect of salicylic acid on regeneration. Dugesia tigrina were chosen for their ability to fully regenerate their body from a segment. Bisected planaria were exposed to the experimental concentrations of 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 mg/L of salicylic acid for 14 days and were measured daily. The independent variable was the concentration of salicylic acid while the dependent variable was the amount of growth of the planaria in mm/day. It was hypothesized that salicylic acid would negatively affect the regeneration of planaria due to its ability to induce oxidative stress. Studies suggest that oxidative stress has an effect on neoblasts and therefore the regenerative ability of organisms. The experimental groups of 0.5, 5, and 10 mg/L of salicylic acid were found to have a statistically significant decrease in regeneration rate. This study may have expanded the knowledge in environmental science and helped further realize the harmful effects of salicylic acid.

Competition history

• AJAS 2026 Category not listed

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