Biological activities of extracts from Andaman Sea sponges, Thailand

Thirty six organic extracts were prepared from eighteen marine sponges collected from the Andaman Sea, Thailand. The extracts were examined for anti-malaria, anti-Microbacterium tuberculosis, anti-herpes simplex virus, antimicrobial, anti-acetylcholinesterase enzyme and cytotoxic activities. Four extracts showed anti-M. tuberculosis, one anti-malarial, twenty four antimicrobial and one extract exhibited cytotoxic activity. However, anti-acetylcholinesterase enzyme and anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) activities were not recorded. Dichloromethane extracts prepared from Axinyssa sp., Halichondria sp. and Chondrosia reticulata exhibited potential anti-M. tuberculosis at MIC 50, 100 and 200 mg/mL, respectively. The Hexane part of Phakellia ventilabrum extract showed anti-malarial activity (MIC= 2.8 mg/mL) while the dichloromethane extract showed anti-M. tuberculosis and cytotoxic activity with MIC 200 and IC50 7.1 mg/mL, respectively. Antimicrobial activity was found in both the hexane and dichloromethane parts of extracts.