| dc.description.abstract | The major purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and
antimicrobial activities of the melanin samples extracted from potential species of
slime molds and fungi. The melanin pigments were extracted in an alkaline solution.
Antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxicity were determined by DPPH
assay, well diffusion, and SRB assays, respectively.
Data on DPPH assay free radical scavenging activity suggest that melanins from three
samples displayed antioxidant activities and the activities are dose-dependent. The
melanin of Calvatia craniiformis possessed the highest antioxidant capacity at
1000ug/ml concentration and that’s comparable with the positive control (vitamin C).
However, in terms of the antimicrobial assay, none of the samples showed notable
growth inhibition activity against the pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa) at 1000ug/ml. Thus, it is concluded that at this tested
concentration, melanins did not inhibit the growth of the tested bacteria.
In addition, the SRB assay was performed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the melanins
toward Hep-G2 cell line. The melanin from F. septica showed an outstanding antiproliferation of Hep-G2 with the values 25.28%±4.66 of percentage cytotoxicity
towards Hep-G2 cell line at the concentration of 100ug/ml. This cytotoxicity is
comparable with the positive control (Camptothecin at the concentration of 0,07
ug/ml).
This project generated the first data sets on the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and
cytotoxicity activities of crude melanin from slime molds and fungi. The obtained
results suggest that melanins have significant antioxidant activities, especially that of
C. craniiformis. | en_US |
