Improvement of the antimicrobial activity of edible mushroom extracts by inhibition of oxidative enzymes

Abstract

Abstract The antimicrobial properties of water and methanol extracts from edible mushroom species were evaluated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans . Only water extracts from Lentinus edodes, Boletus edulis and Pleurotus ostreatus showed antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms. Their methanol extracts showed antimicrobial activity too but to a lower extent than the water extracts. Moreover, methanol extracts from Cantharellus cibarius and Lactarius deliciosus, showed also a slight activity against S. aureus. However, the antimicrobial properties of the mushroom water extracts might have been always underestimated considering that when oxidative enzymes inhibitors were added before the experimental assay, the water extracts from C. cibarius, L. deliciosus, Agaricus bisporus and Amanita cesarea showed important antimicrobial activity and the water extracts of B. edulis and P. ostreatus increased their activity. These enzymes might degrade potential antimicrobial compounds during the extraction procedure or interfere with their activity.