Abstract

Objective: To prescreen the in vivo antimitotic of the marine green alga Ulva lactuca Family Ulvaceae using the Allium cepa meristamatic root tip. Method: In the present study to investigate the effect of ulvan which was isolated from Ulva lactuca marine green alga was selected for phytochemical and pharmacological screening of antimitotic activity. Antimitotic activity was evaluated on actively dividing meristamatic cells of Allium cepa root tip. Result: Preliminary phytochemical screening of ethanolic extract of Ulva lactuca (EEUL) showed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, sterols, saponins, tannins, proteins and amino acids, mucilage, flavonoids and absence of volatile oil, fixed oils. Total phenolic and flavonoid content were found to be 13.678±1.6mg/ml and 1.25±0.06mg/ml respectively. Percentage of yield of ulvan obtained was 10% and its UV, IR spectral studies were performed. Total uronic acid was found to be 18.8%w/w. Antimitotic activity of ulvan using the Allium cepa root tip model showed good inhibition of dividing meristamatic cells. The percentage of mitotic index of ulvan 4,5,6μg/ml were found to be 30.59±1.59, 21.64±1.02, 13.60±0.56 respectively which was comparable to that of std drug W/W methotrexate 100ng/ml was 13.04±0.80. Conclusion: Ulva lactuca have been used in medicine due to various biological activities and as a food. This study indicates that the ulvan possesses potential anti mitotic and anti proliferative activity. The presence of ulvan and the attributed reported anti-oxidant activity appears to contribute to the antimitotic activity. Further investigation requires confirming this activity.