Antibacterial activity of extracts from the body wall of Parastichopus parvimensis(Echinodermata: Holothuroidea)

Marine natural products represent a large and relatively untapped resource in the search for new compounds that have antibacterial activity. Bioactive compounds have been isolated from a number of groups, including corals, crabs, tunicates, bryozoans, echinoderms, fish, and sponges. The objective of this study was to determine if antibacterial substances exist in the body wall of the sea cucumber Parastichopus parvimensis, a species found along the southern coast of California, U.S.A.