Investigation of antimicrobial and anticancer activity of some species of cyanobacteria

In this study, antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic effects of extracts obtained from some Cyanobacteria species grown in suitable conditions (Anabaena circinalis, Symploca hydnoides, Nostoc entophytum, Phormidium purpurascens, Lyngbya porphyrosiphonis, Chroococcus dispersus, C. minutus, Oscillatoria calcultensis) were investigated. Cyanobacteria extracts were prepared with 0.5 M Tris-HCL pH:8.00, N-butanol, Ethanol and Dimethyl sulfoxide. Antimicrobial activity tests were carried out with disc diffusion method and extracts were tested on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644, Escherichia coli O 157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Salmonella typhimurium CCM 5445, Candida albicans ATCC 10239. Organisms with the most effective antimicrobial activity were determined to be Anabaena circinalis, Nostoc entophytum, Chroococcus dispersus, Chroococcus minutus and Oscillatoria calcultensis. Anticarcinogenic activity tests were performed with BrdU cell proliferation ELISA method and carried out on Vero cells (African green monkey kidney cells) and HeLa cells (Human uterus carcinoma cells). Antiproliferative effects of Cyanobacteria extracts on these cells were investigated in concentrations of 100, 250 and 500 ?g/mL. At the end of the tests, the most effective organisms were determined to be Nostoc entophytum, Chroococcus dispersus, Chroococcus minutus and Oscillatoria calcultensis. In conclusion, it was seen that effective Cyanobacteria species showed parallel activities in both activity tests. Key Words : Cyanobacteria, Antimicrobial Activity, Anticancer Activity, Disc Diffusion Method, BrdU cell proliferation ELISA Method