ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF MUSHROOMS

M. Kosanic, B. Rankovic, M. Dasic

Abstract: The aim of the study is to examine in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the acetone and methanol extracts of the mushrooms Amanita rubescens, Cantharellus cibarius, Lactarius piperatus and Russula cyanoxantha. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by four different methods: free radical scavenging, reducing power, determination of total phenolic compounds and determination of total flavonoid content. As a result of the study acetone extracts from Russula cyanoxantha was more powerful antioxidant activities than other examined mushroom extracts (IC50 = 86.279 μg/ml). Moreover, the tested extracts had effective reducing power. Total content of phenol and flavonoid in extracts were determined as pyrocatechol equivalent, and as rutin equivalent, respectively. The antimicrobial activity was estimated by determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration by using microdilution plate method against five species of bacteria and five species of fungi. Generally, the tested mushroom extracts had relatively strong antimicrobial activity against the tested microorganisms. The present study shows that tested mushroom species demonstrated a strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. It suggests that mushroom may be used as good sources of natural antioxidants and for pharmaceutical purposes in treating of various deseases.

Keywords: antimicrobial activity; antioxidant activity; mushroom extracts

Date published: 2019-01-28