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 (+3 = zone of inhibition 3-5 mm) activity against one or the other strain under experiment. However, extracts of 12 species were active against all the three strains. Organisms like Salicornia brachiata (obligate halophyte), Sinularia leptocladus (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. ilicifolius, Amphiroa sp., Poryphyra sp., Unidentified sponge, Suberites vestigium, Sinularia compressa, Sinularia sp., Sinularia maxima, Subergorgia suberosa, Echinogorgia pseudorassopo and Sabellaria cementifera were mild (inhibition zone of 1-2 mm) to moderate (inhibition zone of 2-3 mm) active against the respective strains. The growth of A. japonicus was significantly inhibited by the extracts of S. leptocladus (r = 0.992, p < 0.0001) and E. grandifolia (r = 0.989, p < 0.0001).