Studies on bioprospecting potential of a gastropod mollusc Cantharus tranquebaricus (Gmelin, 1791).

OBJECTIVE

To study the biological activities of the tissue extract of Cantharus tranquebaricus (C. tranquebaricus).

METHODS

Crude extract of gastropod was tested for inhibition of bacterial growth. Antibacterial assay was carried out by disc diffusion method and the activity was measured accordingly based on the inhibition zone around the disc impregnated with gastropod extract. Molecular weight of the extract was determined by using SDS-PAGE. Plasma coagulation, Fibrin plate assay and substrate SDS-PAGE were used to determine the effect of sample on plasma coagulation, fibrin (ogen) olytic and proteolytic activity.

RESULTS

The maximum inhibition zone (10 mm) was observed against Vibrio cholera (V. cholera) and minimum inhibition zone (2 mm) was noticed against Proteus mirablis (P. mirablis). The molecular weight was determined as 47-106 kDa. The tissue extract shows proteolytic activity above 48 kDa. SDS-PAGE analysis of fibrinogen after incubation with the tissue extract showed fibrinogenolytic activity. In plasma coagulation assay C. tranquebaricus tissue extract showed procoagulant property and it coagulated chicken plasma within 150 s, while control took 5 min to clot. The 9 HU hemolytic units were found against chicken blood and also exhibit high level of brine shrimp lethality.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that C. tranquebaricus could be used as potential source for isolating bioactive compounds, since it is explored first time and found with promising results.