Medicinal Properties of Gren Seaweeds, Ulva fasciata (Delile, 1813) and U. reeticulate (Forsskal, 1777)

Abstract

The increasing resistance of pathogens and the side effects of antibiotics have made it vital to find new alternative compounds from different sources. In the present study, the antibacterial potential of two green seaweeds was screened against 10 human pathogenic bacteria. The seaweeds were extracted with Acetone, Petroleum ether and Methanol and screened. The crude acetone and methanol extracts of the Ulva fasciata showed significant antibacterial activity with the inhibition zone range of 2-8 mm. The petroleum ether extract of U. reticulata also exhibited wide spectral activity with the zone of inhibition level of 1 – 5 mm. In partial purification of active extract of the U. fasciata by silica gel column chromatography, the fraction 50%A:50%M showed prominent antibacterial activity against all the human pathogens and the zone of inhibition was ranged between 4 -11 mm at 100 µg/disc concentration which indicated the presence of non-polar to intermediate polar active compounds. This semi- purified fraction showed prominent activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtitles. Thus, the seaweeds are gaining more and more importance in the pharmaceutical industry along with their nutritional properties all over the world.