Isolation of Endophytic Microbes from Gracilaria salicornia and Screening of their Antifungal Activity in Hexane and Ethanol Extracts

Algae are simple organisms found in the ocean, ranging in size from small to large marine plants. They offer food and shelter for ocean creatures. Seaweeds, also known as macroalgae, are categorized into three groups: Green, Brown, and Red algae. Red algae are primitive and have a red or purple hue. Seaweeds are known to contain bioactive compounds, including carotenoids, terpenoids, chlorophyll, vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, antioxidants, alkaloids, and various polysaccharides. These compounds are used in the pharmaceutical industry to develop drugs for treating different diseases. Algae from all three groups – green, brown, and red – make up about 9% of biomedical compounds from the sea. They possess antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Endophytic relationships between microbes and plants are common in nature. Current study focused on isolating endophytic microorganisms from G.salicornia and testing their antifungal activity, as these microorganisms play a crucial role in drug development by producing bioactive compounds that contribute to the medicinal properties of plants. Endophytic microbes were isolated on nutrient agar and potato dextrose agar plates, resulting in 1*281 cfu of bacteria and 1*221cfu of fungi. The antifungal activity of hexane and ethanol combination extract from Gracilaria salicornia was tested, with the hexane extract showing stronger activity than the methanol extract based on the size of the inhibition zone.