1. Effects of Drugs on Daphnia
Michelle Dilgard
Undergraduate Student
Education Major
Biology Concentration
Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN 38505

2. Project Summary Problem: How do drugs effect Heart Rate?
Using Daphnia is more appropriate
Through the performing of an experiment

3. Introduction and Background
Daphnia
Water Flea (Wong, 1997)
Many studies have been done previously
Drugs to be used
Caffeine (Foster, 1997)
Nicotine
Alcohol
Ibuprofen (Cluevers, 2003)

4. Benefits
This experiment will show not only the effects of these drugs on Daphnia but also what they similarly do to the human body when it is exposed.
Daphnia are used as a humane alternative to Humans when performing this type of experiment.

5. Objective
I will observe the changes in heart rate of Daphnia when exposed to Caffeine, Ibuprofen, Alcohol, and Nicotine. I will have several separate samples of Daphnia in my study. Each community will be exposed to a different drug and observe how the heart rate of the Daphnia changes accordingly.

6. Hypothesis
I believe the Daphnia heart rate will increase when the Daphnia are exposed to Caffeine and Nicotine. I believe the Daphnia heart rate will decrease and slow down when the Daphnia are exposed to Ibuprofen and Alcohol.

7. Methods Label containers Place Daphnia on slide Record Heart Rate
Add experimental solution
Record new heart rate
Repeat
Data Form

8. Materials Water Depression Slides Cover slips Droppers Daphnia Magna
Microscope
Watch
Petri Dishes
Daphnia Anatomy Chart
Cigarettes
80 proof vodka
No-dos
Ibuprofen tablets

9. Expected Results
I expect that the Daphnia’s heart rates will increase with Nicotine and Caffeine because both of these drugs are stimulants.
I also expect that the Daphnia’s heart rates will decrease with Alcohol and Ibuprofen solution.

10. Actual Results I found that the Daphnia’s heart rate would:
Greatly increase with Caffeine
Increase of between 10 and 20 beats per minute
Slightly increase with Alcohol
Increase of between 5 to 10 beats per minute
Remain about the same with Nicotine and Ibuprofen
No significant change could be found

11. Actual Results Normal w/Caffeine w/Alcohol 84 100 89 80 102 85 86 10590 88
109 91 82
103
110 93
106 87

12. Discussion
My results were confirmed with other findings in Articles such as:
“Does Caffeine Effect the Heart Rate of Daphnia” by Gerald Adams
“Kava Decreases the Heart Rate of Daphnia” by Jasmine Kamai
“Pharmacologic responses of Daphnia Magna” by Torald Sollmann and Walter Webb

13. Conclusion
In conclusion I have determined that the heart rate of Daphnia can be affected by adding different drugs.
Daphnia heart rate increased by ten to twenty beats per minute when exposed to Caffeine. Daphnia heart rate increased by five to ten beats per minute when exposed to Alcohol.
Unfortunately the results for Ibuprofen and Nicotine could not be seen. There was not enough evidence to determine how the Heart rate changed when the Daphnia were exposed to Ibuprofen and Nicotine.
By doing this experiment it can be assumed that the some of the same reactions could be found if Humans are exposed to these Drugs.

14. Works Cited
Campbell, Anthony K., Kenneth T. Wann, and Stephanie B. Matthews Lactose causes heart arrhythmia in the water flea Daphnia pulex. Comparative Biochemistry and physiological Part B Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 139:
Cluevers, Michael Mixture toxicity of the anti-inflammatory drugs diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetylsalicylic acid. Exotoxicology an Environmental Safety 59:
Foster, Rachel A stroboscopic method to investigate the effect of caffeine on Daphnia hear rate. Journal of Biological Education 31:
Wong, Diana C.L., Philip B. Dorn, and Eric Y. Chai Acute toxicity and structure-activity relationships of nine alcohol ethoxylate surfactants to fathead minnow and Daphnia magna. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 16:
Wang, Helen Ying, Allen W. Olmstead, Hong Li, and Gerald A. LeBlanc The screening of chemicals for juvenoid-related endocrine activity using the water flea Daphnia magna. Aquatic Toxicology 74:
Villegas-Navarro, Arturo, Esperanza L. Ross, and Jose L. Reyes The heart of Daphnia magna: effects of four cardioactive drugs. Comparative Biochemisty and Physiology Part C Toxicology and Pharmacology 136C: