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Seaweeds as a source of lead compounds for the development of new antiplasmodial drugs from South East coast of India

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Abstract

The problems of resistant lines of Plasmodium falciparum are escalating. Twelve seaweeds species belong to five different families (Sargassaceae, Gracilariaceae, Hypneaceae, Corallinaceae and Halimedaceae) were collected from Mandapam coastal area, and the seaweeds extracts were tested for in vitro antiplasmodial activity against P. falciparum. Among the tested seaweeds, Gracilaria verrucosa (IC50 5.55 μg.ml−1) and Hypnea espera (IC50 8.94 μg.ml−1) showed good antiplasmodial activity, and these results are comparable with positive controls such as artemether (IC50 4.09 μg.ml−1) and chloroquine (IC50 19.59 μg.ml−1), respectively. Turbinaria conoides, Sargassum myriocystem, Hypnea valentiae and Jania rubens extracts showed IC50 values between 5 to 50 μg.ml−1. Sargassum sp., Turbinaria decurrens and Halimeda gracilis extracts showed IC50 values between 50 to 100 μg.ml−1. Gracilaria corticata, Jania adherens and Halimeda opuntia extracts showed IC50 value of more than 100 μg.ml−1. Statistical analysis reveals that significant in vitro antiplasmodial activity (P < 0.05) was observed between the concentrations and time of exposure. The chemical injury to erythrocytes was also carried out, and it shows that no morphological changes in erythrocytes by the ethanolic extract of seaweeds extracts after 48 h of incubation. The in vitro antiplasmodial activity might be due to the presence of sugars, proteins, phenols and carboxylic acid in the ethanolic extracts of seaweeds. It is concluded from the present study that the ethanolic extracts of seaweeds of G. verrucosa and Hypnea espera possess lead compounds for development of antiplasmodial drugs.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the authorities of the Alagappa University for providing the required facilities and also to the Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi for financial assistance.

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  1. School of Marine Sciences, Department of Oceanography and Coastal Area Studies, Alagappa University, Thondi Campus, Thondi, 623 409, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India

    Sundaram Ravikumar, Samuel Jacob Inbaneson & Palavesam Suganthi

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  1. Sundaram Ravikumar
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  2. Samuel Jacob Inbaneson
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  3. Palavesam Suganthi
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Correspondence to Sundaram Ravikumar.

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Ravikumar, S., Jacob Inbaneson, S. & Suganthi, P. Seaweeds as a source of lead compounds for the development of new antiplasmodial drugs from South East coast of India. Parasitol Res 109, 47–52 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-2219-x

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