Seasonal Variation in Antimicrobial Activity of Crude Extracts of Psammaplysilla sp. 1 from Phillips Reef, South Africa

Wasswa Cuthbert Kibungu; Justine Fri; Anna-Maria Clarke; Anthony Otigbu; Henry Akum Njom

doi:10.1155/2021/7568493

Seasonal Variation in Antimicrobial Activity of Crude Extracts of Psammaplysilla sp. 1 from Phillips Reef, South Africa

Int J Microbiol. 2021 May 11:2021:7568493. doi: 10.1155/2021/7568493. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Wasswa Cuthbert Kibungu¹, Justine Fri², Anna-Maria Clarke¹, Anthony Otigbu¹, Henry Akum Njom^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Microbial Pathogenicity and Molecular Epidemiology Research Group (MPMERG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry &Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa.
² Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agriculture Science, North West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2375, South Africa.
³ Agricultural Research Council, Private Bag X1251, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa.

Abstract

Marine invertebrates constitute a diverse group of marine organisms beneficial to humanity due to their therapeutic significance. The marine sponge species Psammaplysilla sp. 1 was collected from Philips Reef, South Africa, over a four-season period and assayed for antimicrobial potential. The physicochemical parameters of the collection site were also recorded. The sponge crude extracts' antimicrobial activity was evaluated using an agar well diffusion assay against 5 pathogens. Phytochemical screening was conducted to identify the presence of 7 critical phytochemical groups. During the four seasons, the mean water temperature was 17.35°C ± 2.06, with autumn recording the highest (20°C) temperature. Antifungal activity was observed by Psammaplysilla sp. 1 (30 mm) against C. albicans, and this was higher than that showed by standard drugs ICZ-10 µg (15 ± 0.1 mm), FLU-15 µg (21 ± 0.2 mm), and VCZ-5 µg (17 ± 0.1 mm), respectively. Similar bioactivities were observed seasonally with Psammaplysilla sp. 1 (22 mm and 24 mm) during autumn and spring, respectively, against C. difficile while only crude extracts collected in spring showed bioactivity against C. albicans. Psammaplysilla sp. crude extracts showed broad-spectrum bioactivity against all test pathogens. DCM : ME crude extracts tested positive for the presence of 2/7 of the phytochemicals (terpenoids and flavonoids). GC-MS revealed several previously reported biologically active compounds such bicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-trien-7-ol and phenol, 2,6-dibromo, some of which have been found in plants. This study revealed that sponge bioactivity is dependent on the season and further validated the antimicrobial potential of South African marine sponges.