Marine algae are well-known to contain a wide diversity of bioactive compounds, many of which have profitable applications in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, food and agricultural industries.Accepted antioxidants, existing in several group of algae, which are important bioactive compounds that play a vital role counter to various diseases and including anti-ageing processes and protection of cells from oxidative damage. In this high opinion, reasonably little is known about the bioactivity of Indian algae that could be a potential natural source of such antioxidants. The ethyl acetate extract of Enteromorpha intestinalis was evaluated for total phenolic, flavonoid contents, antibacterial and antioxidant (ABTS assay, lipid peroxidation, superoxide radical scavenging, nitric oxide radical scavenging and reducing power) activities. The results indicated that ethyl acetate extract of E. intestinalis was effective in inhibiting the growth of Gram positive viz; Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, gram negative viz; Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae and compared to antibiotic streptomycin. The ethyl acetate extract was found to be rich in total phenolic content, and high antioxidant activity as compared to Ascorbic acid. The presence of functional groups of active compounds was confirmed by Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GSMS) analysis of ethyl acetate extract. It was concluded that all tested ethyl acetate extract of E. intestinalis had antibacterial and antioxidant activities. These properties might be due to the presence of high total phenolic content or flavonoids. Hence the ethyl acetate extract of thallus of E. intestinalis represent a potential source of antibacterial and antioxidant compounds that may be used in food or pharmaceutical products.
