Cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities of some soft corals inhabiting the red sea, Egypt.

Authors

Abdallah Alian, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut-Branch, Assiut, Egypt.Follow
Abo bakr Abdel Shakor, Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biology, Départment of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.Follow
Khaled Geba, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt.Follow
Alaa Osman, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut-Branch, Assiut, Egypt.Follow

Corresponding Author

Alian, Abdallah

Document Type

Original Article

Subject Areas

Botany, Microbiology and Zoology

Keywords

Antimicrobial; Cytotoxicity; MTT, Nephthea elatensis; Sinularia hirta; Soft corals

Abstract

Cancer and infectious diseases are notoriously known as deleterious health threats for the world, especially in the developing countries. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities of the methanolic extracts of the soft corals Nephthea elatensis, Heteroxenia fuscescens, Ellisella juncea, Dendronephthya mollis, and Sinularia hirta, that are native to the Red Sea in Egypt. The cytotoxicity assay was carried out by the enzymatic reduction of 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay against lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549). Moreover, the antimicrobial activity was carried out against 11 human pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains using well-cut diffusion technique, while the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) were determined by microdilution method. Nephthea elatensis showed potent cytotoxicity [half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) 11.9 ± 1.2 µg/mL]. Also, it exhibited a potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus(MIC 1.0 µg/mL). Sinularia hirta exhibited significant antimicrobial activities against Salmonella typhimurium and S. aureus (MIC 5.0 and 10.0 µg/mL, respectively). The results recommended N. elatensis and S. hirta as promising sources for new anticancer and antibiotic natural candidates.

How to Cite This Article

Alian, Abdallah; Abdel Shakor, Abo bakr; Geba, Khaled; and Osman, Alaa (2021) "Cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities of some soft corals inhabiting the red sea, Egypt.," Al-Azhar Bulletin of Science: Vol. 32: Iss. 2, Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21608/absb.2021.87211.1128