ACTIVE BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS INHIBITING TUMOR INITIATION EXTRACTED FROM MARINE ALGAE

ACTIVE BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS INHIBITING TUMOR
INITIATION EXTRACTED FROM MARINE ALGAE
AHMED M.M. IBRAHIM
A MOSTAFA H. MOSTAFA
B M. HISHAM
EL-MASRY
C MANAL M.A. EL-NAGGAR
A
a National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt.
b Department of Environmental Studies, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research,
Alexandria University.
c Department of Bioscience and Technology, Institute of Graduate Studies and
Research, Alexandria University.
Keywords: Anti-tumor agent, bioactive material, bioassay, marine algae, natural
product compound.
ABSTRACT
Ethanol extraction of seventeen algal species from 35 different samples collected from
the coastal area of Abou-Qir, Egypt, South East of the Mediterranean Sea Coast, was
conducted. The aim was to obtain natural products from the algal extracts which have
significant biologically active algal compounds. The collected algae showed a wide
variation in their occurrence during the period of collection. Thirty five extracts
representing different seasonal growths of 17 marine algal species were tested for antitumorigenic activity. Tests performed were the toxicity bioassay using Brine shrimp
Artemia salina and the anti-tumor bioassay against Agrobacterium tumefaciens on potato
discs. Codium tomentosum (winter); Jaina rubens (summer) and Padina pavonia (winter)
displayed relatively high activity.