Abstract

ANTIVIRAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF SPIRULINA PLATENSIS

Mona Hetta*, Rehab Mahmoud, Waled El-Senousy, Mohamed Ibrahim ,Gamila El-Taweel, Gamila Ali

ABSTRACT

The total crude (70%) methanol extract and five successive extracts of Spirulina platensis were tested against four types of viruses using cell viability assay and nine strains of Gram (+ve) and Gram (-ve) bacteria as well as Candida albicans using disc diffusion method. The results revealed that the total methanol and n-hexane extracts were significantly active against all tested viruses showing mean % inhibition of 56.7% and 66.7% against rotavirus Wa strain; 60% and 63.3% against adenovirus type 7; 53.3% and 50% against adenovirus type 40 respectively and 50% for both extracts against Coxsackievirus B4. The ethyl acetate extractive was active only against rotavirus Wa strain with 53.3% inhibition. Normal hexane extract was most potent against Salmonella senftenberg with 58.5% inhibition. GC-MS analysis of the saponifiable and unsaponifiable fractions of the n-hexane extract besides the total carbohydrate, phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents of the crude methanol extract were carried out.

Keywords: Spirulina platensis, antiviral, antimicrobial, chemical components.