Antibactrial and antifungal activity of some seaweeds species from Egypt

Algae are rich in bioactive compounds that have potential use in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and functional food industries. In this study, the antibacterial properties of crude extracts from isolated marine environments containing Ulva lactuca and Cystosera myrica algae were investigated.. The physical traits of the algal strains reveal details about their taxonomic affiliation. Crude extracts were prepared using solvents such methanol, ethanol, and ethyl acetate, and their antibacterial qualities were evaluated against a range of bacteria and fungi. The ethanol fractions exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Klebsiella and Staphylococcus aureus, whereas the methanol fractions shown broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Ulva lactuca's ethyl acetate fraction was most effective against Candida albicans, whereas the methanol fractions demonstrated notable antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus. The results show that Ulva lactuca and Cystosera myrica algae extract can be used as effective alternatives to traditional antibacterial treatments, with different solvents showing different levels of effectiveness against different bacteria.