Antimicrobial effect of a crude sulfated polysaccharide from the red seaweed Gracilaria ornata

The aim of this study was to determine the yield, chemical composition, specific rotation (SR), infrared (IR) spectroscopy and the effect on bacterial growth of a crude sulfated polysaccharide (SP) from the red marine alga G. ornata (Go). Go-1 (25°C), Go-2 (80°C), and Go-3 (80°C) were sequentially extracted and yielded 9.2%. The contents of sulfate (5.88-10.3%) and proteins (0.1-3.7%) were small. The values of SR were [µ]D20°f -19.0, -51.0, and -56.5, respectively. IR spectrums showed the presence of galactose-4 sulfate and absence of 3,6-anydrogalactose-2 sulfate, galactose-6 sulfate and galactose-2 sulfate. SR and IR techniques confirmed SPs. Go-3 was tested on the growth of bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogens, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonela choleraesuis and Salmonela typhi), but only E. coli was inhibited.