Antimicrobial activity and bioactive compounds of Portuguese wild edible mushrooms methanolic extracts

The antimicrobial properties of phenolic extracts of Portuguese wild edible mushroom species (Lactarius deliciosus, Sarcodon imbricatus and Tricholoma portentosum) against pathogens were investigated. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were evaluated for the entire mushroom, the cap and the stipe, separately; the portion of the mushroom used proved to be influenced in the results obtained, which are directly correlated with the content of total phenols and flavonoids in the extracts. The growth of Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis,) was well inhibited by these mushrooms, while Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria) was resistant. The study on the antifungal effect of these mushrooms revealed that Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans were differently inhibited for the mushrooms used.