Antiprotozoal, antimycobacterial and cytotoxic potential of twenty‐three British and Irish red algae

• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.3094
• Publication Date: 2010-01-13T15:09:57Z
• Authors: Andrea Allmendinger; Jasmine Spavieri; Marcel Kaiser; Rosalyn Casey; Suzie Hingley‐Wilson; Ajit Lalvani; Michael Guiry; Gerald Blunden; Deniz Tasdemir
• Keywords: Antimycobacterial; Antiprotozoal; Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense; Red algae

As part of our continuing research on seaweeds, we have screened the crude extracts 23 red marine algae collected from England and Ireland. The clinically important blood-stage life forms Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, T. cruzi, Leishmania donovani Mycobacterium tuberculosis were used as test organisms in vitro assays. selectivity was determined by using mammalian skeletal myoblast (L6) cells. All algal showed activity against with Corallina officinalis Ceramium virgatum being most potent (IC(50) values 4.8 5.4 microg/ml), whilst none inhibited growth cruzi. Except for Porphyra leucosticta, all seaweeds also leishmanicidal IC(50) ranging 16.5 to 85.6 microg/ml. Only extract Calliblepharis jubata some weak (MIC value 256 while others inactive at this concentration. only seaweed that displayed marginal cytotoxicity 88.6 remaining non-toxic towards L6 cells 90 microg/ml To knowledge, is first study reporting antiprotozoal antimycobacterial British Irish algae.