"From the Rock Sea Moss" Wildcrafted / Ocean Harvested Sea Moss

 In this review, among the 160 species of Gracilaria already identified taxonomically, only 19 of them had their extracts and fractions chemically tested for toxicity, cytotoxic, spermicidal, antiimplantation, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiprotozoa, antihypertensive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and spasmolytic effects in gastrointestinal tract 

 Studies related to nervous system are important to understanding and treat complex degenerative and behavioral diseases. 90% ethanol extracts from G. corticata, G. edulis and G. verrucosa did not cause central or periphery effects for mice or dogs (50 mg/kg), and did not show analgesic or anticonvulsant activities for mice  

 The researchers have also investigated new molecules with anticonceptive action; the post-coital contraceptive action of marine seaweeds was also evaluated in animals. Methanol: methylene chloride  extract from G. corticata was orally administered at 500 or 1000 mg/kg/day to female rats from day 1 to day 7 of their pregnancies. Higher doses produced significant post-coital contraceptive activity due to enhanced pre-implantation without any marked side effects. These findings indicate that red marine algae are a potential source for post-coital contraceptive drugs 90% Ethanol extracts from G. edulis (100 mg/kg) and G. corticata were inactivated before the antiimplantation effect when they tested in pregnant rats . Ethanol extracts from shade dried thallus of G. edulis and G. verrucosa were inactive in spermicidal bioassays. Extracts from G. edulis showed 100% inhibition of sperm motility and this effect was related to disruption of the plasma membrane by spermicidal compounds 

 Aqueous extract from dried G. verrucosa algae or fresh G. chorda algae at a dose of 0.5 mg/animal controlled gastrointestinal disorders in mice , resulting from zeaxanthin and antheraxanthin , carotenoids, pyrimidine 2-amino-4-carboxy, non-alkaloid nitrogen heterocycle , steroids, 5-alpha-poriferastane, 3-beta-6-alpha-diol poriferastane, 5-alpha-3-beta-6-beta-diol and gigatinine 

 90% Ethanol extracts from G. corticata, G. edulis and G. verrucosa showed no cardiovascular effects in dogs (50 mg/kg) . 90 % ethanol extract from G. edulis showed diuretic activity. Aqueous extract from G. lichenoides was administered intravenously in rats and it was antihypertensive . Tyrosinase inhibition was not induced by methanol extract from G. arcuata  and aqueous extract from G. textorii, 10 μg/mL, was negligable on aldose reductase 
 

 Extracts or ingredients from various algae have shown antibacterial activity in vitro against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria . The agar disc diffusion method for antibacterial susceptibility was used for evaluation and 6 mm discs were impregnated with 20 μL of the extracts and placed in inoculated Muller Hinton agar. Antibacterial activity from chloroform extract of G. edulis (Gmelin) Silva was tested against bacterial strains of Vibrio cholera, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella bodii, Salmonella paratyphi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia .We observed higher activity for G. edulis extract than S. aureus extract  Yet it was inactive for Sporotrichum schenckii, Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans . In the present investigation, the chemical compounds isolated from the species were steroids (carotenoids, β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene)  and carbohydrates 

 Mahasneh et al. (1995) demonstrated activity of organic extracts from algae against multi-resistant bacteria to antibiotics . Ethanol extract from G. debilis showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus but was inactive against Mycobacterium smegmatis . 95% ethanol extract from whole dried G. cervicornis algae was active against S. aureus at a concentration of 5.0 mg/mL . Methanol extract from fresh G. corticata was active against Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, S. aureus and Streptococcus viridians . G. corticata and G. pygmea did not inhibit the growth of Aspergillus niger, Fusarium solani, Alternaria solani, or Penicillium funiculosum . Petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol extracts from this seaweed at a concentration of 1.0 μg/units proved to be inactive on the inhibition of penicillinase enzyme. From this specie, stearic lipids and capric acids were isolated  Ethanol extracts from G. domigensis and G. sjoestedii showed antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. Ethanol extracts from G. debilis, G. domingensis and G. sjoestedii were active against Candida albicans shown by agar plate method; Chloroform, ether and methanol extracts from G. tikvahiae were inactive . The growth of Neurospora crassa was not inhibited by extracts from G. sjoestedii and G. debilisi; ethanol extract from G. domigensis was active against Mycobacterium smegmatis and Neurospora crassa . G. domigensis has as chemical constituents, polysaccharide CT-1, palmitic acid and steroids (stigmasterol, sitosterol, campesterol, cholest-7-en-3-β-ol and brassicasterol Some studies highlighting antiparasitic activity of seaweeds also were verified. 90 % ethanol extract from G. corticata and G. edulis were tested against Entamoeba histolytica and Plasmodium berghei and were not active. 

 Antivirial Activity  Extracts from G. bursa-pastoris and Gracilaria sp were inactive against the Herpes simplex 1 virus (HSV) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) when evaluated in cell cultures . Granin BP and citrullinyl-arginine proteins were isolated from these extracts . Methanol extract from dried G. pacifica at a concentration of 200.0 μg/mL was active against Sindbis virus, but was not effective against H. simplex 1 when tested at a concentration of 400 μg/mL. Extracts and compounds obtained from Gracilaria sp with anti-HIV activity are also active against other retroviruses such as HSV. However, the pharmacodynamic mechanisms of the antiretroviral activity are still unknown because bioactive compounds from seaweed poorly investigated