Pharmacological Properties of Bioactive Metabolites from Wild Mushrooms of Azad Jamu and Kashmir region

Abstract

Mushrooms are considered to be the most underutilized source of nutrient-dense food. Mushrooms have numerous health benefits due to their diverse chemical makeup. The current study entails a preliminary screening of eleven wild mushrooms collected from various regions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Different assays were used to evaluate the biological potential of metabolites extracted with different solvents. Following screening, the presence or absence of a specific secondary metabolite is evaluated using a variety of qualitative and quantitative tests. The acetonitrile fractions of Russula foetentula showed the best activity against E. coli, B. subtilis, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and K. pneumoniae with the inhibition zone of 16 ± 0.5mm, 21 ± 0mm, 14 ± 0.5mm, 20 ± 0mm, and 11 ± 1.0mm. In addition, the crude metabolites of Auricularia auricula judae and Macrolepiota albuminosa extracted with ethyl acetate appeared as antibacterial against all the test pathogens (MDRs) at very low concentrations. In terms of antifungal potential, the ethyl acetate and acetonitrile fractions of Russula foetentula were found to be active against three fungal test strains: Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Candida albicans with the inhibition zones of 11 ± 0.5mm, 14 ± 0.5mm and 15 ± 0.5mm. Also, most of the extracts dissolved in ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, acetone, and ethanol outperformed the others. All fractions of Russula cerolens, Amanita phalloides, and Auriculaia auricula-judae extracts displayed strong antioxidant activity. The excellent antioxidant activity was demonstrated by ethanol fractions of Auricularia auricula-judae (80 ± 0.5%), ethyl acetate fraction of Russula cerolens (76 ± 0.5%), and acetone fraction of Amanita phalloides (75 ± 1.0%). Likewise, all fractions of Russula foetentula, Russula carolens, Cantharellus phalloides, and Chlorophyllum cinerus exhibited considerable cytotoxic potential with a mortality rate of 100%. Extracts of Russula cerolens and Chlorophyllum molybdites showed high hemolytic activity of 98 ± 1.0% and 96 ± 1.0%. Lactarius deliciosus and Macrolepiota albuminosa extracts had the most minor hemolytic activity. Russula emetica, Auricularia auricula judae, Russula foetentula, and Russula paludosa all had low to moderate hemolytic activity. The mycochemical analysis revealed that most of the polar extracts such as ethanol and methanol tested positive for saponins and tannins. The presence of steroids was detected in both polar and non-polar extracts. Chloroform fractions of Laccaria laccata and Amanita phalloides exhibited too much presence of phenols with the values of 192mg QE/g and 163mg QE/g.