612 Original article doi: 10.12980/jclm.4.2016J6-76 ©2016 by the Journal of Coastal Life Medicine. All rights reserved. Study the antimicrobial activity of six marine sponges and three parts of sea anemone on Candida albicans Homa Hamayeli, Abdolhamid Namaki Shoshtari, Mehdi Hassanshahian * , Majid Askari Hesni Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran Journal of Coastal Life Medicine 2016; 4(8): 612-615 Journal of Coastal Life Medicine *Corresponding author: Mehdi Hassanshahian, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. Tel: +989132906971 Fax: +983222032 E-mail: mshahi@uk.ac.ir Foundation Project: Supported by Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman with grant number 1645. The journal implements double-blind peer review practiced by specially invited international editorial board members. 1. Introduction Ocean is known as the mother of life and many believed in the grounds that primitive forms of life from the “primordial soup” have already begun. This area has a huge variety of sea creatures that are diverse in terms of physiology and adaptation. As they grow in different climatic conditions, these microorganisms are spread with a certain adjustment mechanisms, some of which can be useful for self-defense and thus perhaps the compatibility of different ways is beneficial for human[1]. Oceans of our planet are responsible for many biological activities. A number of biologically active compounds with varying degrees of action, such as anti-tumor, anti-cancer, anti-microtubule, anti-proliferative, cytotoxic, photoprotective, as well as antibiotic and antifouling properties, have been isolated to date from marine sources[2]. In the oceans, the main lifestyle of bacteroidetes is assumed to be attachment to particles and degradation of polymers[3]. Since the mankind nature from the beginning has been contributing considerably to drug discovery for human beings by providing remedial treatments. Marine ecosystems are approximately 75% of the earth’s surface. Marine natural products play an important role in biomedical research and drug development, or directly as a medicine or inspired by biological structures to make chemical drugs[4]. Blunt et al. listed that in marine environment, 37% sponges, 21% coelenterates and 18% microorganisms are the main sources of biomedical compounds, followed by 9% algae, 6% echinoderms, 6% tunicates, 2% mollusks and 1% bryozoans, etc.[5]. Sponges are ordinary, multicellular, acaulescent animals with no true tissue layers or limb, feed on bacteria[6] and are constantly exposed to large populations of microbes in the water, including opportunistic pathogens and microorganisms in the sediment. Despite ongoing risks and lack of complex physical structure and cellular immune ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the antifungal and inhibitory activity of six different species of marine sponges and one species of sea anemone that were collected from the Persian Gulf on the growth of Candida albicans (C. albicans). Methods: Sea anemone and six different sponges were gathered from the Persian Gulf and extracted by methanol macerated with dichloromethane solvents. The activity of each extracts against C. albicans was determined by paper disc diffusion and agar well diffusion methods. Also, minimum inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration of each extract were determined. Results: The finding of current research confirmed that all sponge extracts had sufficient inhibitory effect against C. albicans but the extracts of sponge type 2 and 5 had the best inhibitory effect on C. albicans and their zones of inhibition were 45 mm and 38 mm, respectively. The tentacle of sea anemone had the best inhibitory effect against C. albicans compared to other part of the body and its zone of inhibition was 41 mm. Besides, the sponge type 5 extracts had the best minimum inhibitory concentration and minimal bactericidal concentration values with 6.25 and 12.5 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusions: It could be concluded that the crude extracts of six different sponges and sea anemone have high potential to produce broad spectral antifungal activity with minimal concentration against different pathogenic fungi. Article history: Received 14 Apr 2016 Received in revised form 4 Jul 2016 Accepted 15 Jul 2016 Available online 8 Aug 2016 Keywords: Antifungal activity Marine environment Persian Gulf Sea anemone Sponge journal homepage: www.jclmm.com