Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Zostera marina L. Extract

doi:2009.24.3.179

Algae > Volume 24(3); 2009 > Article

Algae 2009;24(3): 179-184. doi: https://doi.org/10.4490/algae.2009.24.3.179

Han Gil Choi¹^*, Ji Hee Lee¹, Hyang Ha Park¹ and Fotoon A. Q. Sayegh²

¹Faculty of Biological Science and Research Institute for Basic Science and Institute of Biotechnology, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk 570-749, Korea
²Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding Author

Email: hgchoi@wku.ac.kr

ABSTRACT

Methanol crude extract of the sea grass Zostera marina L. and organic solvent fractions (n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water) were screened for antioxidant activity (total phenolic contents, DPPH scavenging activity, and reducing power) and antimicrobial activity against three human skin pathogens, two bacteria and a yeast; Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Candida albicans. Total phenolic contents and 2, 2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity were highest in the ethyl acetate fraction with 968.50 μg gallic acid equivalent per milligram of extract, and ca. 95% scavenging activity on the DPPH radicals at 10 mg ml?1. In antimicrobial activity tests, MICs (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) of each Zostera marina extract partitioned ranged from 1mg to 8 mg ml?1 (extract/ 10% DMSO) against all three human skin pathogens. The MICs of the ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions were the same with 1 mg ml?1 against S. aureus and C. albicans. The ethyl acetate fraction of Z. marina does protect against free radicals and may be used to inhibit the growth of human skin pathogens.

Key words: antimicrobial activity, antioxidant, extract, Zostera marina L.