Bioactivity and constituents of 8 common seaweeds from Dalian intertidal zone of northern Yellow Sea were investigated. In the anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) test, Symphyocladia latiuscula and Enteromorpha intestinalis showed obvious activities with MICs much lower than 1.0 mg·mL-1 . In the DNA damage repair test (DDRT), Chondrus ocellatu showed selective inhibitory activity against the DNA repair-defective E. coli strain vs. the wild-type E. coli strain; while Sym. latiuscula, Enteromorpha intestinalis and Sar. kjellmanianum showed significant anti-E. coli activity with MICs of 64-128 g·mL-1 . In the anti-Pyricularia oryzae test, Sym. latiuscula and Rh. confervoides strongly inhibited the germination of the spores of P. oryzae on agar plate. In the brine shrimp larvicidal test, Sym. latiuscula, Rh. confervoides and Sar. kjellmanianum exhibited potent toxicity against brine shrimp larvae, with LC50 much lower than 1 mg·mL-1 . The HPTLC analysis revealed their diversified secondary metabolites. The HPLC-DAD-MS analysis of the strongest species Sym. latiuscula and database searching showed that it can produce quite diversified metabolites, including halogenated ones, some of which may be new natural products. The results demonstrated the potentials of these seaweeds in the development of new antibiotics, antitumor drugs, agricultural fungicides and pesticides.
