Antifungal activity of some marine organisms from India, against food spoilage Aspergillus strains

Crude aqueous methanol extracts obtained from 31 species of various marine organisms (including floral and faunal), were screened for their antifungal activity against food poisoning strains of Aspergillus. Seventeen species exhibited mild (+ = zone of inhibition 1-2 mm) to significant (+++ = zone o f inhibition 3-5 mm) activity against one or the other strain under experim ent. However, extracts of 12 species were active against all the three stra ins. Organisms like Salicornia brachiata (obligate halophyte), Sinularia le ptocladus (Soft coral), Elysia grandifolia (Mollusks), Gorgonian sp. 2 and Haliclona sp. exhibited significant (inhibition zone of 3-5 mm) antifungal activity against one or the other strains. However, extracts of A. ilicifol ius, Amphiroa sp., Poryphyra sp., Unidentified sponge, Suberites vestigium, Sinularia compressa, Sunularia sp., Sinularia maxima, Subergorgia suberosa , Echinogorgia pseudorassopo and Sabellaria cementifera were mild (inhibiti on zone of 1-2 mm) to moderate (inhibition zone of 2-3 mm) active against t he respective strains. The growth of A. japonicus was significantly inhibit ed by the extracts of S. leptocladus (r = 0.992, p < 0.0001) and E. grandif olia (r = 0.989, p < 0.0001).