Indonesia is part of the coral triangle region which is known as the world’s highest marine biodiversity, including stony corals. This situation used to benefit local people by trading ornamental corals. The aims of this study are to investigate the potential stock of ornamental corals as well as the reef conditions. The study took place in Kendari, Luwuk, Sumbawa and Belitung where the ornamental coral-collecting activities used to occur. The result indicates there were approximately 110 species of corals found with the majority of coral status are common (harvest limited) and uncommon (harvest with cautions). Based on the juvenile existence, only 66 corals have potential stocks. Euphyllidae (Euphyllia glabrescens and Plerogyra sinousa) had the highest potential stock in Kendari and Luwuk, while Fungiidae (Fungia spp) held the highest potential stock in Belitung and Sumbawa. This difference is likely related to different locality or habitat type. In general, coral reefs in Kendari, Luwuk and Belitung are in good condition, while fair condition occurs in Sumbawa. To conclude, the stock of ornamental corals is still high and the reefs are generally good, suggesting the collecting activities may be allowed with proper quota and continuous monitoring habitat condition to ensure the sustainability.

Background: Marine sponges provided a great source of natural products with promising biological activity. This study was aimed to investigate the chemical constituents of methanol extracts of selected Indonesian marine sponges (Callyspongia sp., Clathria sp., Melophlus sarasinorum, and Xestospongia sp.), collected from the Saponda Islands, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia as well as to evaluate their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Methods: LCMS/MS analysis used to identify the compounds. Agar well diffusion and DPPH assays were used to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Results: Chemical screening reported alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, and saponins from all investigated sponges. The LC-MS/MS analysis identified various compounds which mainly contained steroids. Antimicrobial activity (against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, and Candida albicans) was only shown by the Xestospongia sp. extract. Meanwhile, extracts of M. sarasinorum, Xestospongia sp., and Callyspongia sp. exhibited potent radical scavenging activity. Conclusion: The study concluded that the selected sponges could provide various groups of compounds. Methanol extracts of these sponges could be used as sources of antimicrobial and antioxidant agents.

Soft coral Nepthea sp. grows in the seas of South-East Sulawesi, Indonesia. However, information on the chemical and pharmaceutical aspects of this genus is still limited. Therefore, this research aims to explore the chemical contents and biological activities of Nepthea sp. The sample was collected from the waters of Saponda Island by SCUBA diving. It was extracted by ethyl acetate and fractionated using vacuum liquid chromatography. The chemical content was analyzed by phytochemical screening, LC-MS/MS analysis, Total Phenolics Content and Total Flavonoids Contents. Antioxidant potency was evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radicals and ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid). Cytotoxicity property was analyzed by MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays. The result showed that the fractionation of Nepthea ethylacetate extracts produced six fractions (A-F). Fractions A and B contain non-polar compounds. Based on LC-MS/MS data, the non-polar compounds in Fraction A and B include achillin, atractylenolide II, buthyl isobuthyl phthalate, rengyolester, 2a-acetoxycostic acid, ocotillol acetate, petasitolone and some unidentified compounds that are C33H58O4, C15H21NO, C21H33NO, and C16H20O4. In general, the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of all samples are in the weak category, however, when examined for each sample, the antioxidant properties of fraction B is slightly better than fraction A based on the IC50 value of DPPH and ABTS. Cytotoxicity of Fraction A is better than Fraction B against Breast Cancer cell lines MCF-7. The non-polar fraction of Nepthea sp. can be developed as raw material for the discovery of new compounds, antioxidant and anticancer agents, especially breast cancer.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of the ethanolic extract of Callyspongia sp. using stabilization of the human red blood cell (HRBC) membrane method and its acute toxicity using brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT) method. Methods: Callyspongia sp. was macerated with 96% ethanol. Extract characterized and screened for the secondary metabolite. Anti-inflammatory activity by stabilization of the HRBC membrane method with a varied dose of 50 ppm; 100 ppm; 200 ppm; 400 ppm; 800 ppm; 1600 ppm; and 3200 ppm. Solutions observed using a photometer to describing stability and ability in preventing membranes hemolytic and statistically analyzed using SPSS. Acute toxicity carried out by the BSLT method and analyzed using Minitab®ver. 17.2.1. Results: The phytochemical screening was indicating that Callyspongia sp. contains flavonoid, alkaloid, and terpenoid. The results of the anti-inflammatory activity test showed that the percentage value of stability and hemolysis of extracts with doses of 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, and 3200 ppm were 55% and 45%, 63% and 37%, 70% and 30%, 74% and 26%, 80% and 20%, 87% and 13%, and 97% and 3%, respectively. It showed that extract of sponge Callyspongia sp. in all varied dose has activity in stabilizing the HRBC membrane thus can be potential as an anti-inflammatory. The results of acute toxicity assay showed that the value of LC50 was 1281.45 μg/ml and categorized as nontoxic to Artemia salina Leach. Conclusion: Various concentrations of Callyspongia sp. effective as an anti-inflammatory in stabilizing HRBC, and categorized as safe.

Terumbu karang merupakan ekosistem yang subur dan kaya akan makanan. Megabentos merupakan salah satu komunitas hewan bentik yang berasosiasi dengan terumbu karang. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui kepadatan megabentos (bulu babi, bintang laut, teripang, lola, kima, lobster, siput drupella, dan bintang laut berduri), mengetahui kelimpahan relatif karang hidup serta hubungan kelimpahan relatif karang hidup dengan kepadatan megabentos di Perairan Waworaha Provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara. Pengambilan data kondisi karang dan fauna megabentos dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode  Belt Transect yang ditarik sejajar garis pantai dengan luasan 350 m².  Hasil penelitian yang didapatkan pada tiap stasiun adalah persentase kelimpahan relatif karang hidup di perairan waworaha termasuk tinggi dengan rata-rata persentase kelimpahan relatif karang hidup sebesar 70,28%. Nilai rata-rata kepadatan megabentos adalah 0,070 ind/m² dengan kepadatan tertinggi terdapat pada stasiun 3 yaitu 0,096 ind/m², dan kepadatan megabentos terendah terdapat pada stasiun 1 yaitu 0,030 ind/m². Perhitungan nilai hubungan kelimpahan relatif karang hidup dengan kepadatan megabentos didapatkan nilai r sebesar 0.929 bernilai positif yang artinya kelimpahan relatif karang hidup dan kepadatan megabentos memiliki hubungan yang sangat kuat.Kata kunci: Karang, Kepadatan, Megabentos, Waworaha