Antibacterial and antifungal potential of wild basidiomycete mushroom Ganoderma applanatum

Abstract

Hot water extract (AN), partially purified polysaccharides (AP) and hot alkali extract (ANa) obtained from wild mushroom G. applanatum were examined for their antibacterial and antifungal activity. Five Gram negative (Proteus hauseri, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Enteritidis, Shigella sonnei, Yersinia enterocolitica), five Gram positive (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Geobacillus stearothermophyllus, Enterococcus faecalis) bacterial strains, as well as two fungal strains (Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans), all belonging to the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), were tested by broth microdilution assay. In general, Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive in the presence of tested extracts than Gram-negative bacterial species. Almost all tested extracts demonstrated a high microbistatic potential, and in most cases the microbicidal effect also has been reached. The best antibacterial effect of hot water alkali extract, ANa, was observed in the case of E. faecalis (MIC 0.039 mg/mL, MBC 1.25 mg/mL), while the same extract was the most effective antifungal agent towards C. neoformans (MIC 0.078 mg/mL, MFC 2.5 mg/mL). This research indicates possibility to use selected extracts, obtained from the mushroom G. applanatum, in order to prevent the development of some pathogenic microorganisms and food spoilage.