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Planta Med 1995; 61(4): 321-328
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-958092
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© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Biological Activities of Cyanobacteria: Evaluation of Extracts and Pure Compounds

Beatrix S. Falch1 , Gabriele M. König1 , 4 , Anthony D. Wright1 , Otto Sticher1 , Cindy K. Angerhofer2 , John M. Pezzuto2 , Heinz Bachmann3
  • 1Department of Pharmacy, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
  • 2Program for Collaborative Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, U.S.A.
  • 3Swiss Federal Institute for Water Resources and Water Pollution Control (EAWAG), CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
  • 4Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstraße 1, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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Publication History

1994

1995

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

A total of 80 lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts obtained from 20 samples of cultured freshwater and terrestrial cyanobacteria were investigated for their biological activities. Of all the extracts, 26% exhibited a significant lethal effect against brine shrimp. Out of 54 extracts tested for antimicrobial activity, 78% showed antibacterial and 45% antifungal activities. Of 30 extracts tested for cytotoxicity against KB cells, none was found to be active. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the lipophilic extracts of Fischerella ambigua led to the isolation of three compounds; ambigols A (1) and B (2), and tjipanazole D (3). Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic, molluscicidal, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activities. Tjipanazole D (3) showed moderate antibacterial properties.

Key words

Cyanobacteria - brine shrimp lethality - cytotoxic - antimicrobial - Fischerella ambigua - ambigol A - ambigol B - tjipanazole D