dc.contributor.author | Laila, Abubakar | |
dc.contributor.author | Mwangi, Catherine | |
dc.contributor.author | Uku, Jacquiline | |
dc.contributor.author | Ndirangu, Samuel | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2013-06-06T08:37:10Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2012 | |
dc.identifier.citation | African Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics Vol. 1 No. 1 Pages 19-23, 2012 | en |
dc.identifier.uri | http://www.uonbi.ac.ke/journals/kesobap4/Docs/Volume%201%20Issue%201%20Mar%202012%20-%20Online/Volume%201%20Issue%201%20Mar%202012%20-%20Online/4%20-%20AJPT-MR07-0212-2_Abubakar.pdf | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/29027 | |
dc.description.abstract | Background:
Marine invertebrates rely solely on innate immune
mechanisms, the cellular component of which is
characterized by hemocytes that phagocytize microbe
s and secrete soluble antimicrobial and cytotoxic substances. In
this regard, marine invertebrates are a potential source of promising antimicrobial compounds with novel
mechanisms of action.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to evaluate extracts of the gut, gonad, spines and mouth parts of the
sea
urchin
Tripneustes gratilla
for antimicrobial and haemolytic activities
in vitro
.
Methods:
Potentially bioactive metabolites were extracted u
sing methanol and chloroform and tested for activity
against
Salmonella typhi,
Escherichia coli,
Shigella sonnei,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
and
Penicillium
spp. using the agar
disc diffusion method. Toxicity was determined by a
ssaying for hemolysis against human red blood cells
.
Results:
Bioactivity against the tested bacteria was observed mainly with the methanol and chloroform extracts
of the
gonads and gut. Higher antibacterial activity was p
resent in the methanol extracts compared to chloroform extracts.
Activity against the
Penicillium spp
was detected only in the methanol extracts, while
the chloroform extracts showed
no activity. The various extracts of the sea urchin
lacked any detectable hemolytic activity against human
erythrocytes.
Discussion:
These research findings suggest that marine echinoderms are a potential source of novel antimicrobial
compounds. | en |
dc.language.iso | en | en |
dc.publisher | University of Nairobi | en |
dc.subject | Tripneustes gratilla, antimicrobial activity, marine invertebrates | en |
dc.title | Antimicrobial activity of various extracts of the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla (Echinoidea) | en |
dc.type | Article | en |
local.embargo.terms | 6 months | en |
local.publisher | Department of Biochemistry | en |