Symbiotic Synergies: A Comprehensive Analysis of Antibacterial Potency, Antioxidant Proficiency, and Phytochemical Composition in Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum and Spirogyra varians from Distinct Aquatic Habitats

Abstract

Terrestrial plants have been the main source of many active agents used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Many research studies have focused on different marine organisms like algae, fish, sponges, and crustaceans to obtain bioactive products like proteins and peptides for use in the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries. In contrast to terrestrial plants, marine algae are a very abundant and important source of different constituents that have established beneficial effects on human skin and have been used in the cosmeceutical industry. Samples of algae were collected from two different aquatic sites. Identification of samples was made based on microscopic morphological and other key characteristics of algae, and they were found to be R. hieroglyphicum and S. varians. Extraction was carried out in methanol and in a mixture of DCM (dichloromethane) and methanol. Both samples collected from the two different sites showed significant antibacterial effects in various assays performed using the Disc Diffusion Method and the Well Method. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were also detected using a 2.2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Quantitative and qualitative analyses showed significant quantities of phenolic and flavonoid contents. The stressful climatic factors lead to the synthesis and production of compounds with secondary metabolites, which are anti-stress and important for their antioxidant and therapeutic effects, resulting in various biological activities.