Microorganisms, Vol. 13, Pages 940: Bioprospecting of Marine Organisms: Exploring Antibacterial Activities in Aqueous and Organic Extracts

Microorganisms doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13040940

Authors:
Vinícius Paulino Pinto Menezes
Aldeni Moreira da Silva Filho
Aline Jeferson Costa
Elielton Nascimento
Ulisses Santos Pinheiro
Renata Pinheiro Chaves
Alexandre Lopes Andrade
Mayron Alves de Vasconcelos
Edson Holanda Teixeira
Alexandre Holanda Sampaio
Celso Shiniti Nagano
Rômulo Farias Carneiro

This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of aqueous and organic extracts from 78 marine organisms, including seaweeds and sponges, collected along the coast of Ceará, Brazil. Extracts were obtained by maceration using distilled water and 50% acetonitrile and tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis (Gram-positive), and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) using the disk diffusion method, and inhibition zone diameters were measured. Antibacterial activity was observed in 30.7% of the extracts, with organic extracts showing higher efficacy. Several sponge species, particularly those from the genus Aplysina, as well as Amphimedon compressa, Amphimedon viridis, Mycale sp., and Pseudosuberites sp., demonstrated notable inhibitory effects. While seaweed aqueous extracts showed no activity, some organic extracts—especially from Amansia multifida—were effective against Gram-positive strains. In general, Gram-positive bacteria were more susceptible than Gram-negative bacteria. These findings underscore the biotechnological potential of marine organisms from the Brazilian coast as promising sources of antibacterial compounds and support future efforts focused on the isolation, characterization, and toxicological evaluation of active metabolites for pharmaceutical and industrial applications.

Source link

Vinícius Paulino Pinto Menezes www.mdpi.com