Anti Microbial Studies on Spirulina platensis
V.R. Ravikumar*, T. Sudha and P.V. Hemalatha
The
Erode College of Pharmacy and Research Institute, Erode-638112, Tamilnadu.
ABSTRACT:
Spirulina plantensis (fam:
cyanophyaceae)
is a blue green fresh water algae. It is a simple, single- celled alga that
thrives in warm alkaline fresh water. It is helical in shape and hence the name
spirulina. Spirulina is
being developed as the food of the future due to its very high nutritional value. The extracts were then subjected to antibacterial
studies using Muller Minton agar and fresh strains of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus and Ciprofloxacin as the standard drug.
Antifungal studies were perform using potato dextrose agar medium and fresh
strain of Aspergillus
niger and Griseofulvin, as the standard drug cup diffusion method was
followed for both the studies. It was found that when compared with standards
and among the extracts, the ethanol extract showed a significant antibacterial and
antifungal activity.
KEYWORDS:
E.coli,
Staphylococcus aureus,
Aspergillus niger,
Griseofulvin, Spirulina platensis, Ciprofloxacin, Anti microbial.
INTRODUCTION:
Spirulina
is a simple, one celled form of blue green alga1 that thrives in
warm alkaline fresh water. It is helical or spiral in shape forming swirling
strands. Owing to its high nutritional value, Spirulina2 is being developed as the food for the
future. Spirulina
is one of the few plant sources which is rich in Vitamin B12.The
ability of Spirulina
to grow in hot alkaline water ensures its hygienic status. Spirulina
produces a large number of valuable compounds such as phycocyanine,
carotenoids, poly unsaturated fatty acid such as linoleic and linolenic acids and
thus have important role in human metabolic pathways.3 Extensive
literature survey reveals that studies on antiviral 4immuno modulatory 5,anticancer6 lipid
lowering activity7 and anti allergic activity 8 on Spirulina have
been performed. GC-MS analysis of volatile components of Spirulina platensis resulted in the identification
of 15 compounds which constitute about 96.45% of the total compounds9
The aim of present work is to
study the Anti microbial activity (anti bacterial and anti fungal) of Spirulina platensis.
But there is no evidence for the study of the antibacterial and antifungal
activity of the algae.
experimental methods
Collection
and Extraction
Spirulina platensis fam: Cyanophyaceae
was collected from Ezha Edhlier
Maruvazhvu Kazhagam, Erode,
in afternoon during the high denser condition using muslin cloth 6000 holes
inch. The algae were then washed with tap water, dried and milled to a coarse
powder suitable for solvent extraction.
Table no.1-Antibacterial and Antifungal
activities of different extracts of algae Spirulina platensis
|
S. No |
Treatment |
Concentration
(mg/ml) |
Diameter of
the zone of inhibition in mm |
||
|
Bacteria |
Fungi |
||||
|
E.coli |
Staphylococcus aures |
Aspergillus niger |
|||
|
1. |
Pet ether extract |
20 |
15 |
14 |
15 |
|
2. |
Chloroform extract |
20 |
7 |
7 |
20 |
|
3. |
Ethyl acetate extract |
20 |
10 |
11 |
7 |
|
4. |
Ethanol extract |
20 |
20 |
19 |
24 |
|
5. |
Aqueous extract |
20 |
13 |
17 |
12 |
|
6. |
Ciprofloxacin (Standard) |
20 |
26 |
22 |
- |
The dried algae Spirulina platensis was extracted with different solvents viz non polar to polar solvents10 like petroleum
ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, alcohol, and water by continuous hot
percolation using Soxhlet apparatus and then concentrated by vacuum distillation. The
percentage of extractive value of ethanol was good. The qualitative phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic
extract showed the presence of alkaloids sterols, proteins, flavones and flavonoids
2) Anti
fungal Studies11
Antifungal studies were performed by Cup Diffusion
Method. Six Petri plates were aseptically prepared with Potato Dextrose agar
medium and allowed to solidify. The plates were swabbed with the strain of Aspergillus niger.
Results and discussion:
The different extracts of Spirulina platensis were subjected to
microbiological studies both anti bacterial and anti fungal by cup diffusion
method. E.coli and
Staph.aureus were used to study the anti
bacterial activity and Aspergillus niger strains for the anti
fungal study. The zone of inhibition (Fig. - 1, 2, 3) produced by the
extracts was compared with that of the standard drugs ciprofloxacin (anti
bacterial) and griseofulvin (anti fungal). From the
zone of inhibition, it is evident that the various extract of the blue green
algae Spirulina platensis
possess anti microbial activity against E.coli, Staph.aureus and Aspergillus niger. Among
the different extracts, the ethanol extract was found to show good anti
microbial activity against both bacteria and fungi. (Table no.1; Fig. 1, 2, 3)
Conclusion:
The blue green algae Spirulina platensis was found to possess anti
bacterial and anti fungal activity. The ethanol extract of the algae was found
to possess significant anti microbial activity when compared to the other
extracts of the alga.
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Received
on 10.02.2010
Accepted on 07.04.2010
© A&V Publication all right reserved
Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry.
2(3): May-June 2010, 228-230