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Pak. J. Bot., 44(5): 1799-1803, 2012. |
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Updated: 10-10-12 | ||||
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Evaluation of biochemical component and antimicrobial activity of Some seaweeeds occurring at karachi coast
AMBREEN1, HIRA, K.1 AMNA TARIQ2, RUQQIA1, VIQAR SULTANA1 AND JEHAN ARA2
Abstract: Nutritionally valuable seaweeds are being used as fresh or dried vegetables or as ingredients in wide variety of prepared foods. Interest in seaweeds has increased markedly through out the world due to their value in nutrition and in medicine. In this study 16 seaweed species collected from Karachi coast were examined for the estimation of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), calcium and 9 for protein, carbohydrate and lipid contents. Lipid content was found less as compared to carbohydrate and protein in most of the brown and red seaweeds. All the seaweeds showed the presence of calcium at varying concentrations, while ascorbic acid was found in fourteen seaweeds in considerable amount. Intake of edible seaweeds having ascorbic acid and calcium may protect the human from the diseases related to deficiency of calcium and vitamin C. Microbes and microbial infection remains a threat to human life. In this study, ethanol extract of 5 seaweeds were screened for antibacterial activity, while 9 tested against root rotting fungi. Most of the brown species had shown potent antimicrobial activity followed by red algal species. The highest antibacterial activity was found in ethanol extract of brown seaweed species Dictyota dichotoma var intricata and D.indica against Salmonella typhimurium followed by D. indica and Halimeda tuna against Bacillus subtilis with a zone of inhibition of 15, 15, 14, and 14 mm respectively. Dictyota dichotoma var. intricata, D.indica, Sargassum lanceolatum and red Melanothamnus afaqhusainii produced a zone of inhibition of 11, 10, 9, 11mm respectively against gram negative bacteria Salmonella typhimurium even at lowest concentration of 2mg/disc. The ethanol extract of most of the species was found less active against tested fungi (Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina, Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum). Only two brown seaweeds Sargassum ilicifolium and Cystoseira indica had shown antifungal activity to some extent.
1Biotechnology and Drug Development Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan 2Postharvest & Food Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Food Science & Technology, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan Corresponding author’s email: viqarsultana@hotmail.com |
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