Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity of Lato

The fact that 25% of prescribed pharmaceuticals are derived from plants demonstrates the enduring importance of natural products. Marine organisms may be tapped as new sources of natural substances, which can be developed to combat the new trend of acquired resistance in microbes. Because of its abundance in the Philippine coastlines, Caulerpa racemosa or “lato” was evaluated to check for affordability as substitute to commercially available treatments.

Extract from the ground alga was obtained using 10 ml absolute ethanol. The lipid soluble extracts were prepared by adding 30 ml chloroform-methanol (1:1) to the samples. Ethanolic and lipid soluble extracts from a marine algal species (C. racemosa) from the coast of Tacloban City, Philippines were evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activity against pathogenic microbes (1 Gram- positive, 2 Gram- negative, 4 fungi). This species with antibacterial activity was active against the Gram-positive bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus), and the Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli). In addition, this species with antifungal activity was active against four fungi (Aspergilus flavus, Mucor, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus). Results generally indicated that the extract of C. racemosa had the highest antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa and the highest antifungal activity against A. flavus. Seventy five (75) µl of the chloroform-methanol or lipid soluble extracts of C. racemosa exhibited the highest activity against the species tested.

Materials & Equipment




Further clarification of the procedures and results should be directed to the researchers and adviser.

Researchers:
Francis Raphael T. Solajes
Glaiza Mae M. Seno
Arianne Edlai R. Tan

Adviser:
Ms. Dahlia Fe. Bargayo
Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus