Antibacterial and antioxidant effects from seaweed, Sargassum wightii (Greville, 1848) against marine ornamental fish pathogens

Abstract

Objective: To screen seaweed Sargassum wightii (S. wightii) for bioactive natural substance against marine ornamental fish bacterial pathogens, and also study the antioxidant properties, brine shrimp toxicity effect. Methods: Crude extract was made using three solvents (acetone, ethanol and methanol) and screened for antibacterial activity and purified by column chromatography, purified fractions obtained were tested for the activity. The 1st fraction of acetone extract showed maximum activity, this was again subjected for purification and obtained three sub-fractions also tested for the activity. Total phenols and flavonoid contents, reducing power, free radical scavenging activities (DPPH and H2O2) and brine shrimp toxicity were also studied using purified acetone extract followed by standard methods. Results: The purified acetone extract showed maximum activity against eight pathogens among ten. GC-MS results revealed two major compounds such as 24-methylene cholesterol (79.9%) and methyl oleate (30.3%) which presented in higher percentage in purified extract and had highest phenols and flavonoid contents, reducing power, free radical scavenging activities, and also showed less toxicity effect. In he present study, the purified extract of S. wightii had potential antibacterial activity against Aeromonas hydrophila [(22.25依0.35) mm] and minimum activity against Streptococcus sp. [(10.00依0.00) mm]. The purified extract of S. wightii also had potential total antioxidant activity of (3.87依0.04) µg at 100 µg/mL concentration and the lowest activity was exhibited (1.52依0.01) µg at 25 µg/mL. Conclusions: The present study concluded that the brown seaweed, S. wightii has potential antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, which can be used in aquaculture industry for treated bacterial diseases in infected fishes.