Journal of Coastal Life Medicine

89-93

Authors: Kaliyamoorthy Kalidasan, Velayudham Ravi, Sunil Kumar Sahu, Murugan Lakshmi Maheshwaran, Kathiresan Kandasamy

Objective: To study the spine structure of stingray Himantura imbricata (H. imbricata) and to evaluate the anticoagulant properties of the spine extract obtained through various solvents extracts followed by antibacterial activity against human pathogens. Methods: Spines of H. imbricata were collected from Nagappattinam coast, Tamil Nadu, India and their spines were observed under the light microscope. The grounded spines were subjected to extraction of metabolites using methanol, ethanol, chloroform and acetone. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by disc diffusion technique against 10 human pathogens. Similarly, anticoagulant activity was also assessed by following United States Pharmacopeia method. Results: Light microscopic observation of spine revealed that the venom apparatus of the stingray H. imbricata consisted of two to three spines, glandular tissue and a sheath. The spine extract showed potent antibacterial activity against all tested pathogen. Maximum activity (14 mm) was found against Staphylococcus aureus. Crude extract showed 91.50 USP units/mg of anticoagulant activity. Conclusions: Microscopic observations gave new insight about the spine structure of the stingray. The spine extracts of H. imbricate showed potent activity against human pathogens revealed by the good zone of inhibition. Chloroform extracts conferred the most prominent antibacterial activity. The anticoagulant activity was also comparable with that of standard heparin.

99-106

Authors: Jairo Rivera-Posada, Leigh Owens

Objective: To test six osmotic stressors as alternative methods to control Acanthaster planci (A. planci) outbreaks by exploiting their incapacity to tolerate drastic changes in osmolarity. Finding more effective ways to control A. planci outbreaks is one of the most immediate and effective ways by which to reverse rapid declines in the abundance of live coral cover in the Indo-Pacific. Methods: A total of 1 0 mL of each of the following chemicals: sodium chloride, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, sodium carbonate, sodium cholate, sodium deoxycholate, urea and mannitol were injected into individual healthy sea stars to examine which chemicals induced disease and death. Results: Four out of six chemicals used in this study induced disease. Sodium chloride, sodium cholate, sodium deoxycholate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid are capable of inducing death in injected sea stars offering an alternative option to control A. planci outbreaks. Conclusions: Hyperosmotic stress is a viable alternative to control A. planci outbreaks as massive cell death results when acute hypertonicity exceeds a certain level.

112-115

Authors: Pushparaj Arunachalam, Ramesh Uthandakalai, Raubbin rajsmaill

Objective: To investigate the antimicrobial activity of the selected marine green algae Ulva lactuca (U. lactuca), Cheatomorpha linoides and Helimeda macroloba against six strains of Gram-positive bacteria [Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus)] and Gram-negative bacteria [Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Proteus mirabilis]. Methods: The selected green seaweed extracts were experimented with four different solvents (acetone, ethanol, methanol and chloroform) against the selected pathogens by using agar disc diffusion method. Results: The maximum activity (7 mm) was observed by the extract of U. lactuca against Proteus mirabilis by using methanol as a solvent and the lowest activity (2 mm) was recorded by the extract of U. lactuca against L. acidophilus by using chloroform as a solvent and ethanol extract against P. aeruginosa. The lowest activity (2 mm) was seen in the extract of Cheatomorpha linoides by using ethanol and methanol as a solvent against S. aureus. In Helimeda macroloba extract, the lowest activity was recorded against Escherichia coli by using chloroform as a solvent. The microbial strains S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis and L. acidophilus were resistant to the chloroform and methanol of all selected seaweeds. Conclusions: Further study should be needed to identify the prime compound which is responsible for the activity against the selected pathogens especially those causing the human diseases.

124

Authors: Sora Yasri, Viroj Wiwanitkit

No

132-140

Authors: Pallaval Veera Bramha Chari, Kuchipudi Viswadeepika, Bottu Anand Kumar

Objective: To evaluate the in vitro biofilm forming capacity on abiotic food contact surfaces by Vibrio harveyi (V. harveyi) strains. Methods: Thirty six Gram-negative V. harveyi strains were isolated from various street vended seafood outlets in a food processing line and evaluated for their ability to produce mucoid biofilms on food contact surfaces using a microplate assay. Phenotypic characterization of mucoid biofilm producing V. harveyi strains were screened on Congo red agar, thiosulfate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose agar and tryptic soy agar, respectively. Results: Only five V. harveyi strains (14%) were mucoid biofilm producers characterized by formation of black colonies, whereas the remaining 31 strains (86%) were not capable of producing biofilm characterized by formation of red colonies or pinkish-red colonies with darkening at the centre. The morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of these isolates were studied using standard protocols. Strain identification was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction targeted to species-specific polymerase chain reaction primers VH-1 and VH-2 corresponding to variable regions of V. harveyi 16S rRNA sequence. All the biofilm-forming strains showed resistance to at least three antimicrobial compounds tested. V. harveyi strains isolated from various seafood were able to form biofilms of different capacity, and the strains VB267, VB238 and VB166 isolated from cat fish, shrimp and eel fish exhibited significantly greater biofilm forming ability compared to other isolates. Conclusions: It can be concluded from the present study that the strain VB166 was able to better attach and form subsequent biofilms on glass and stainless steel compared to high density polyethylene. These properties allow these bacteria to survive, proliferate and persist in street vended seafood outlets.

146-153

Authors: El Zawane Kamarudin, Qamar Uddin Ahmed, Abul Bashar Mohammed Helaluddin, Zuvairea Nazren Mohd Sirajudin, Ahmad Jalal Khan Chowdhury

Objective: To explore the in vitro antibacterial potential of the peel of Cucurbita moschata Duchesne (tropical pumpkin) (C. moschata) against human pathogenic bacteria. Methods: In the present study, dichloromethane (DCM), methanol (MEOH) and aqueous extracts of C. moschata peel were examined for in vitro antibacterial potency against eight bacterial strains i.e. Bacillus cereus, Burkholderia cepacia, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphyloccocus aureus, Pseudomonas aerugenosa, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus using KirbyBauer disk diffusion susceptibility and broth micro-dilution methods. Results: DCM extract of pumpkin peel exhibited the maximum zone of inhibition against Staphyloccocus aureus (21 mm) whereas aqueous extract of pumpkin peel revealed the least zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli (8 mm). MEOH extract gave maximum zone of inhibition against Pseudomonas aerugenosa (1 9 mm). Broth micro-dilution method showed minimum inhibitory concentration for the DCM extract against Burkholderia cepacia at 6.25 mg/mL. The minimum bactericidal concentrations were also determined to know the nature of all extracts. DCM and MEOH extracts exhibited bactericidal nature to all bacterial strains except for the Vibrio alginolyticus. The minimum bactericidal concentrations values exhibited bactericidal nature ranging from 3.12 mg/mL to 100.00 mg/mL. The screening of antimicrobial properties of different extracts of C. moschata peel revealed that the DCM extract possessed good antimicrobial efficacy compared to MEOH and aqueous extracts. Conclusions: Peel of C. moschata possesses antibacterial compounds and could be potential source for a new class of antibiotics.

163-168

Authors: Natthanej Luplertlop

Dengue virus, one of the most important arthropod-borne viruses, infected to human can severely cause dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. There are expected about 50 million dengue infections and 500 000 individuals are hospitalized with dengue hemorrhagic fever, mainly in Southeast Asia, Pacific, and in Americas reported each year. The rapid expansion of global dengue is one of a major public health challenge, together with not yet successful solutions of dengue epidemic control strategies. Thus, these dynamic dengue viral infections exhibited high demographic, societal, and public health infrastructure impacts on human. This review aimed to highlight the current understanding of dengue mosquito immune responses and role of mosquito salivary glands on dengue infection. These information may provide a valuable knowledge of disease pathogenesis, especially in mosquito vector and dengue virus interaction, which may help to control and prevent dengue distribution.