title: Chemical analysis and toxicity of seaweed extracts with inhibitory activity against tropical fruit anthracnose fungi.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Banana and papaya are among the most important crops in the tropics, with a value amounting to millions of dollars per year. However, these fruits suffer significant losses due to anthracnose, a fungal disease. It is well known that certain seaweed extracts possess antifungal activity, but no published data appear to exist on the practical application of this property. In the present study, five organic Brazilian seaweed extracts were screened for their activity against banana and papaya anthracnose fungi. Furthermore, cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of the extracts were evaluated by the brine shrimp lethality assay and the Allium cepa root-tip mutagenicity test respectively, while their major components were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strong fungus-inhibitory effects of Ochtodes secundiramea and Laurencia dendroidea extracts were observed on both papaya (100 and 98% respectively) and banana (89 and 78% respectively). This impressive activity could be associated with halogenated terpenes, the major components of both extracts. Only Hypnea musciformis extract showed cytotoxic and mutagenic effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest the potential use of seaweed extracts as a source of antifungal agents with low toxicity to control anthracnose in papaya and banana during storage.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ficologia, Instituto de Botânica, Secretaria do Meio Ambiente do Estado de São Paulo, Av. Miguel Estéfano 3687, 04301-902, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Levi Pompermayer
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Silvia Tamie
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Claudia Masrouah
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Jamal
authors.forename: Marcelo Barreto
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Danilo da Cruz
authors.initials: Dda C
authors.lastname: Centeno
authors.forename: Pio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Colepicolo Neto
authors.forename: Luciana Retz
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Nair S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Yokoya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects; D029441:Carica / Q000382:microbiology; D020231:Colletotrichum / Q000187:drug effects*; D004032:Diet; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D028521:Musa / Q000382:microbiology; D009153:Mutagens; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D012624:Seaweed / Q000737:chemistry*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D009153:Mutagens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013729:Terpenes
keywords: antifungal activity; cytotoxicity; halogenated compounds; mutagenicity; phytopathogens