Antibacterial activity of diethyl ether and chloroform extracts of seaweeds against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Crude extracts were prepared using the solvent diethyl ether and chloroform from the seaweeds viz., Ulva lactuca, Dictyota dichotoma and Corallina elongata and screening for their antibacterial activity against two bacterial pathogens were also carried out. The test bacterial strains were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The antibacterial activities were assessed by standard protocol of Disc Diffusion Method. Chloroform extracts being most potent towards the tested bacterial strains than diethyl ether which showed no antibacterial activity to both E. coli and S. aureus. Seaweed Chloroform extract was found effective against the organisms with diameter zone of inhibition ranged between 9 to 11 mm. This is a promising finding, as there may be a potential to utilize such extracts in food products to act as antimicrobial agents, which could potentially increase the shelf life and safety of a wide range of food products, or in pharmacology as new compounds which were suitable for therapeutic medical and veterinary applications.