INVESTIGATION OF THE PHOLCUS PHALANGIOIDES SPIDER WEB FOR ANTI BACTERIAL ACTIVITY

Vijimole P. J.*, Aswathy V. and Dr. Rosaline Mary

ABSTRACT

Spiders are one of the most successful predators, they are equipped with natures wondrous material known as spider silk. Spider silk extracts were prepared by using the solvent Dimethyl sulfoxide. The present study was based on the anti-bacterial properties of the Pholcus phalengioides commonly known as cellar spider web. For the assessment of its inhibitory activity four pathogenic bacterial strains Staphalococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa and Escherichia coli were used, where standard Gentamycin (80 mcg) was kept as positive control. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by Muller Hinton agar well diffusion method. Two different concentrations (400 mcg) and (800 mcg) of web extracts were used for the experiment. Spider web showed antibacterial activity against four bacterial strains. The spider silk induced the highest inhibition zone against Bacillus subtilis, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Psuedomonas aeruginosa. The silk showed least effectiveness against Escherchia coli. Moreover, the inhibitory potential of silk varied with the concentrations of the silk solution. This study provides clues to the role of spider web extract in treating the pathogens effect of different microbes.

Keywords: Spider silk, Pholcus phalengioides, anti-bacterial properties, inhibition zone, bacteria - Staphalococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa and Escherichia coli,).