The effects of aqueous root extracts from five species of the family Papaveraceae on
the growth of cyanobacteria, algae, and other non-target aquatic organisms were
investigated to evaluate their potential use as algicides or cyanocides in the aquatic
environment. Dicranostigma lactucoides and Sanguinaria Canadensis featured the highest
toxicity while Macleaya microcarpa was found to be the least toxic to all aquatic organisms
tested. The Chelidonium majus extract had the best properties as a potential algicide or
cyanocide because of its significant toxicity to phytoplankton and lower toxicity to nontarget
aquatic organisms as compared with the other Papaveraceae family members.