# Phenolic-Rich Wild Edible Macrofungi: Antimicrobial Activity and Antioxidant Potential

## TL;DR

Wild edible mushrooms from Türkiye were found to have strong antioxidant and antimicrobial properties due to their high phenolic content.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific phenolic compounds in wild mushrooms that contribute to their bioactivity and compares antimicrobial efficacy of different extracts.

## Key findings

- Methanol extracts showed higher antimicrobial activity than hexane extracts, especially against Gram-positive bacteria.
- B. utriformis and A. arvensis had the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity.
- Catechin, cinnamic acid, and caffeic acid were identified as key phenolic compounds contributing to bioactivity.

## Abstract

This study evaluated the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and chemical properties of four wild edible macrofungi—Tuber aestivum (Wulfen) Spreng., Terfezia claveryi Chatin, Agaricus arvensis Schaeff. and Bovistella utriformis (Bull.) Demoulin & Rebriev—collected from different regions of Türkiye, with particular emphasis on the role of phenolic compounds. Methanol and hexane extracts were assessed for antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains, and Candida albicans using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays. Total phenolic content (TPC) was determined, and antioxidant capacities were evaluated using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)), FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power), and CUPRAC (cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity) assays. The chemical profiles of hexane extracts were characterized by GC–MS analysis, whereas methanol extracts were analyzed by LC–MS/MS. Methanol extracts with high content of phenolic compounds exhibited markedly higher antimicrobial activity than hexane extracts, especially against Gram-positive bacteria. B. utriformis and A. arvensis displayed the highest phenolic contents (29.61 ± 0.6 and 27.14 ± 0.59 mg GAE/g DW, respectively) and antioxidant activities, revealing a strong positive correlation between TPC and antioxidant capacity. LC–MS/MS analysis revealed catechin, cinnamic acid, and caffeic acid as prominent phenolic constituents, highlighting the role of polyphenols in the observed bioactivity. GC–MS profiling predominantly identified fatty acid methyl esters, particularly linoleic and oleic acids, together with minor phenolic derivatives, suggesting a possible synergistic interaction contributing to the overall biological potential. The results highlight phenolic-rich macrofungi as valuable natural sources of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents with potential applications.