Abstract

A STUDY ON THE ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF THE SEAWEED ENTEROMORPHA INTESTINALIS

G. Archana*, Judia Harriet Sumathy V. and Balaji M.

Abstract

The marine environment covers more than 70% of the world’s surface. Marine algae constitute one of the largest producers of biomass in the marine environment. Marine algae also known as seaweeds attract global attention in terms of research work and commercial exploitation. Seaweeds have touched new horizons like marine pharmacology, bioremediation, seaweed tissue culture etc. The antibacterial activity of the Acetone, Methanol and Ethanol extracts of the marine algae Enteromorpha intestinalis from Ennore Beach near Chennai (coast of Tamil Nadu) were tested in vitro against a panel of Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains. The test organism included Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Gram positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, agar well diffusion test technique was followed. The result exhibited antibacterial activity of the algal extracts against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria on selective media.

Keywords: Marine Environment, Seaweeds, Enteromorpha intestinalis, Antibacterial Activity and Agar Diffusion Test.