Antimicrobial Effect of Five Seahorse Species from Indian Coast

Seahorses are the good source of bioactive compounds. In the present study five species of seahorses Hippocampus fuscus, Hippocampus spinnossimus, Hippocampus kelloggi, Hippocampus kuda and Hippocampus trimaculatus were collected from the Gulf of Manner region of Rameshwarm. The collected seahorses were identified based on the skeletal characteristics, external morphology, and consistency features of the seahorse body surface. Antimicrobial activity of various extractions (Methanol, chloroform, and n-butanol) was investigated against 20 pathogenic strains. Among the tested 20 strains maximum activity (zone of inhibition) was recorded in Klebsilla pneumoniae, and Vibrio cholerae in the case of H. trimaculatus in n-butanol extracts and Staphylococcus aureus in the case of H. kuda in n-butanol extract. Some meager activity was observed in the case of H. kellogi towards Streptococcus areus and Salmonella typhi. Hence this present investigation suggests that seahorses will be a potential source of natural bioactive compounds.