Academic Sciences Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research

Vol 5, Issue 4, 2012 ISSN - 0974-2441

Research Article

Vol.SOME
ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF 4, IssueSELECTED
3, 2011 SEAWEEDS FROM THE GULF OF MANNAR
ISSN - 0974-2441
COAST, SOUTH INDIA
D.RADHIKA, C.VEERABAHU, R.PRIYA*
Research dept. of zoology,V.O.C college,Tuticorin,Tamil Nadu , Email: [email protected]
Received:27 june 2012, Revised and Accepted:31 July 2012
ABSTRACT
Five different type of seaweeds (Sargassum wightii, Padina tetrastomatica, Caulerpa racemosa, Agardhiella subulata and Stoechospermum
marginatum) were collected from the Gulf of Mannar Coast and their antibacterial activities were screened against four pathogens namely
Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhi and Vibrio cholerae. The zone of inhibition ranged between 9.2 – 1mm in methanol extract.
The maximum activity (9.2 mm) was recorded from Agardhiella subulata and Stocheospermum marginatum against Klebsiella pneumonia and
Caulerpa racemosa against Vibrio cholerae, while Sargassum showed no activity against E.coli and Klebsiella pneumonia .
Keywords: Seaweeds, antibacterial activity, methanol extracts.
INTRODUCTION
Seaweeds are considered as a source of bioactive compounds with extracts were filtered and then concentrated in a rotary evaporator
cystostatic, antiviral, antihelminthic, antifungal and antibacterial at a temperature less than 40C. The crude extracts were weighed
activities. They have also been used to treat some diseases like and deep frozen (-20C) until further use.
cancer, arthritis etc. Seaweeds are the renewable living sources
which are also used as food, feed and fertilizer in many parts of the Antibacterial activity of seaweeds extracts using Disc Diffusion
world. They have been screened extensively to isolate life saving Method
drugs or biologically active substances all over the world. The bacterial pathogens like Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhii,
Marine sources are receiving much attention mainly because of the Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia were obtained from the
contents of functional ingredients such as polyunsaturated acids, - Department of Microbiology, Kamaraj College, Tuticorin.
carotene and their pigment carotenoids, sulphated polysaccharide The inoculum was prepared from 24 hours old cultures in nutrient
and sterol. Among different compounds with functional properties, broth. Nutrient agar plates were prepared and the inocula were
anti oxidants and antibacterials are mostly widely studied. seeded by spread plating method. Whatman No. 1 filter paper disc of
Several works have been carried out on the extracts from seaweeds
and their extracts were reported to exhibit antibacterial activity.
Antimicrobial activities on bacteria and fungi were reported by 6 mm diameter were sterilized and saturated with the extracts and
Hellio et al.,(1). Researchers mentioned that the cell extracts and air dried before placing on the seeded agar plate. Controls soaked in
active constituents of various algae have been shown to have the same solvent and dried were also run simultaneously. After 24
antibacterial activity invitro against gram positive and gram hours of incubation at 37C, the inhibition zone from the edge of the
negative bacteria. Extracted substances from seaweeds have disc to the inner margin of the surrounding bacterial growth was
antibacterial actions. measured in mm by using graduated scale and recorded.
The present study was designed to study the antibacterial activity of RESULT
some species of seaweeds collected along the Gulf of Mannar Coast.
Marine algae are considered as source of bioactive compounds to
MATERIALS AND METHODS produce great variety of secondary metabolites characterized by a
broad spectrum of biological activities. In the present study
Seaweeds (Gracilaria edulis, Sargassum wightii, Ulva lactuca) antibacterial activity of different type of seaweeds collected along
samples which were healthy and fully grown and submerged the Gulf of Mannar were carried out. All the extracts were taken
underwater from the tidepools were collected from Tuticorin coast. using methanol as solvent.
The samples were washed with seawater and freshwater to remove
salt, epiphytic microorganisms and other suspended materials. The There was no response when Sargassum was tested against E.coli
clean algae were frozen and lycophilized. The dry material was and Klebsiella pneumonia where as it showed a high activity (4.2
stored at -20C. mm) against Vibrio cholerae. No activity was found against
Salmonella typhii.
Preparation of extract
An increased activity of 5 mm was shown by Padina tetrastomatica
Extracts of the freeze dried and powdered biomass were prepared against Vibrio cholerae and its activity reduced gradually against
using methanol as solvent using a soxhlet . The resultant crude E.coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Salmonella typhii.
Table 1 : Showing Antibacterial Activity Of Selected Seaweeds
Seaweeds E.coli K.pneumonia S.typhii V.cholerae
Sargassum wightii 0  0.9 0  0.3 0  0.7 4.2  1
Padina tetrastomatica 4.2  0.7 3  0.2 2.1  0.4 5.3  1.2
Caulerpa racemosa 1  0.4 0  0.3 0  0.3 9.1  0.9
Agardhiella subulata 3.6  0.7 9.2  0.6 6.1  0.5 5.4  1.3
Stoechospermum marginatum 3.7  0.5 9.2  0.7 5.3  0.5 7.3  0.7
A peak value of 9 mm zone of inhibition was observed against Vibrio The extract of Agardhiella subulata showed minimum activity (3.6
cholerae with Caulerpa racemosa extract, where as it showed no mm and 54 mm) against E.coli and Vibrio cholerae respectively.
activity against Klebsiella pneumonia and Salmonella typhii, and a Maximum activity (9.2 mm) was observed against Klebsiella
minimum activity was observed against E.coli. pneumonia and S.typhii.
 Priya et al.
Asian J Pharm Clin Res, Vol 5, Issue 4, 2012, 89-90

The methanolic extract of Stocheospermum showed good activity Seenivasan. et al.,(12) performed antibacterial activity studies
against all four pathogens screened. The maximum activity was invitro with 3 extracts namely acetone, methanol and ethanol. They
observed in K.pneumonia (9.2 mm) and Vibrio cholerae (7.3 mm) observed that Ulva fasciata in selective media produced good results
while S.typhii and E.coli showed minimum activity of 5.3 mm and 3.7 against E.coli.
mm respectively.
Cox et al., (13) screened the antimicrobial activity of 6 species of
DISCUSSION edible Irish seaweeds. All methanolic extracts of seaweeds inhibited
food spoilage and food pathogenic bacteria tested such as Listeria
Antimicrobial activity depends on both algal species and the solvents monocytogenes, Salmonella abony, Enterococcus faecalis and
used for their extraction. Studies were carried out on antimicrobial Pseudomonas aerogenosa. They found that dried methanolic extracts
activity in different parts of the world by Ely et al.,(2) in India, of red and green seaweeds had significantly lower antimicrobial
Freile-Pelegri`n and Morales (3)in Mexico, Tuney et al.,(4) in Turkey, activity than brown seaweeds. Red and green seaweed extracts
Reichelt and Borowitzka(5) in Australia, Mtolera and Semesi (6) in showed significantly high antimicrobial activity with ethanol and
Tanzania and Vlachos et al., (7) in South Africa to name a few. They acetone.
have selected the seaweeds such as Caulerpa, Ulva, Laminaria,
Asparagopsis etc for their studies. Salvador et al.,(8) studied the Highest inhibition zone of 18.1 mm was observed in methanol
antibacterial activity of 82 marine algae as fresh and lyophilized extract of green algae Pithophora oedogonia against gram +ve
forms. Methanolic and Chloroform extracts of Jania rubens had bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Staphyllococcus aureus by Anand
significant antimicrobial activity according to Karabay-Yavasoglu et Praksh Singh and Chaudhary (14).
al., (9).
Our priliminary results suggest that brown seaweed had high
Taskin et al.,(10) studied the antibacterial activity of methanolic antibacterial activity of the 5 seaweeds screened, Agardhiella
extracts of 6 marine algae, 3 gram positive and 3 gram negative in showed high activity against Klebsiella. There was no significant
vitro. They observed a highest inhibition activity by Corallina difference in the activity when they were analysed statistically
officinalis against Enterobacter aerogenes. (ANOVA – Table 2). So Gulf of Mannar Coast in India is a high
potential source of bioactive compounds and their nature and
Bansemir et al.,(11) investigated 26 algal species for their biochemical properties of these antibiotics must be investigated in
antimicrobial activity by 3 different extracts like dichloromethane, future.
methanol and water. Highest activity was found in dichloromethane
extracts.
Table 2 : Showing One-Way Anova Between Seaweeds And Bacterial Pathogens
ANOVA
Source of Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit
Between Groups 42.8 3 14.2666667 1.67350929 0.21260363 3.23887152
Within Groups 136.4 16 8.525
Total 179.2 19

REFERENCE
11. Bansemir, A, : Blume, M. ; Schroder, S.; Lindequist, U.; Screening
1. Hellio, G.B., Brrener, A.M.; Pons, G.; Cotlenceau, Y.; Le Gal of cultivated seaweeds for antibacterial activity against fish
Borgongman; Antibacterial and antifungal activities of extracts pathogenic bacteria. Aquaculture 252 : 79 – 84, 2006.
of marine algae from Breittany. France. Use as antifouling 12. Seenivasan. R et al., The bacterial activity of some marine algae
agents. Applied microbiology and Biotechnology. 54: 543 – 549, from south east coast of India. J.Phar. Res, 3(8), 1907 – 1912,
2000. 2010.
2. Ely, R., ; Supriya, T. ; Naik, C.G.; Antimicrobial activity of marine 13. Cox, S., Abu – Ghannam, N. and Gupta, S., : An Assessment of the
organisms collected off the Coast of South East India. Antioxidant and Antimicrobial activity of six species of Edible
J.Exp.Mar.Biol.Ecol. 309 : 121 – 127, 2004. Irish seaweeds.Int. Food Res Journal 17: 205 – 220, 2010.
3. Freile – Pelegri’n, Y.; Morales, J.L.; Antibacterial activity in 14. Anand Prakash Singh, A.P.; Chaudhary, B.R.; Analysis and In
marine algae from the coast of Yucatan, Mexico. Bot. Mar. 47 : vitro Antibacterial screening of Pethophora oedogonia (Mont)
140 – 146, 2004. Wittrock – A Preliminary Phycochemical Freshwater Green
4. Tuney, I.; Cadirci, B.H.; Unal, D.; Sukatar, A.; Antimicrobial Alga Forming Mats in the Water Bodies. J. Algal Biomass Utln.,
activities of the extracts of marine algae from the coast of Urla. 1(2) : 33 – 41, 2010.
(Zmir, Turkey) Turk.J.Biol. 30 : 1-5, 2006.
5. Reichelt, J.L.; Borowitzka, M.A.; Antimicrobial activity from
marine algae. Results of a large scale screening programme.
Hydrobiologia. 116/117 : 158 – 168, 1984.
6. Mtolera, M.S.P.; Semesi, A.K.; Antimicrobial activity of extracts
from six green algae from Tanzania. Curr. Trends Mar. Bot. Res.
East Afr. Reg. pp 211 – 217, 1996.
7. Vlachos, V.; Critchley, A.T.; Von Holy, A.; Differential anti
bacterial activity of extracts from selected Southern African
macro algal thalli. Bot. Mar. 42 : 165 – 173, 1999.
8. Salvador, N.; Gomez Garreta, A.; Lavelli, L.; Ribera, M.A.;
Antimicrobial activity of Iberian macroalgae Sci.Mar. 71 : 101 –
113, 2007.
9. Karabay – Yavasoglu N.U.; Sukatar, A; Ozdemir, G.; Horzum, Z;
Antimicrobial activity of volatile compoenents and various
extracts of the red algae Jania rubens. Phytother. Res. 21: 153 –
156, 2007.
10. Taskin, E.; Ozturk, M.; Kurt, O.; Turkiye’nin yararlanilabilir
denizel alg potansiyeli .XI. Ulusal su Urunieri Sem pozyumu 4 -6
Eylul, Antakya pp 225 – 232, 2001.

90