Investigation of the Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of the Ethanol Extract of Amanita muscaria

Abstract

Characterized by its bright red cap adorned with white spots, Amanita muscaria is not only visually distinctive but also of considerable pharmaceutical interest due to its diverse array of biologically active compounds. Rich in metabolites such as muscimol, ibotenic acid, phenolic compounds, and polysaccharides, this species has been regarded as a potential source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. In light of the growing global challenge of antibiotic resistance, the exploration of natural sources has gained increasing significance, with fungal species emerging as promising alternatives. Different concentrations of the A. muscaria extract were tested against 12 reference, 11 multidrug-resistant (MDR), 13 clinical, and 6 food-isolated microorganisms. Disk diffusion assays revealed that the extract produced inhibition zones ranging from 7 to 10 mm, particularly against Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Enterococcus faecium, and Staphylococcus aureus. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranged between 310 and 5,080 µg/mL, while the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were generally above 10,000 µg/mL, indicating a predominantly bacteriostatic effect. The relatively weak activity observed against Gram-negative bacteria was attributed to the diffusion-limiting properties of their lipopolysaccharide outer layer. Antioxidant capacity was assessed using the DPPH radical scavenging assay, in which the extract was compared with ascorbic acid. At 1000 µg/mL, A. muscaria exhibited 97.05% inhibition, comparable to that of ascorbic acid (94.67%), and demonstrated stronger radical scavenging potential at lower concentrations (EC₅₀ = 33.5 µg/mL). These findings suggest that while the antimicrobial potential of A. muscaria is limited, its antioxidant activity is remarkably high. The results highlight the potential of this species as a valuable natural source of antioxidant compounds and indicate that its antimicrobial efficacy may be enhanced through the isolation of active constituents, combination strategies, or nanoparticle-based approaches.

Keywords

• Amanita muscaria
• Mushroom
• Antimicrobial activity
• Antioxidant activity
• Microorganism

Amanita muscaria etanol ekstraktının antimikrobiyal ve antioksidan aktivitelerinin incelenmesi

Abstract

Kırmızı şapkası ve beyaz benekleriyle doğada kolayca tanınan Amanita muscaria, yalnızca görsel olarak değil, içerdiği biyolojik olarak aktif bileşikler sayesinde farmasötik açıdan da dikkat çeken bir mantar türüdür. Muscimol, ibotenik asit, fenolik bileşikler ve polisakkaritler gibi metabolitler bakımından zengin olan bu tür, potansiyel antioksidan ve antimikrobiyal ajan kaynağı olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Günümüzde artan antibiyotik direnci sorununa karşı doğal kaynakların araştırılması önem kazanmış; mantar türleri bu kapsamda öne çıkan alternatifler arasında yer almıştır. Etanol ile elde edilen A. muscaria ekstraktının farklı konsantrasyonları 12 referans, 11 çoklu ilaç dirençli (MDR), 13 klinik ve 6 gıda kaynaklı mikroorganizmaya karşı çalışılmıştır. Disk difüzyon analizleri, ekstraktın özellikle Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Enterococcus faecium ve Staphylococcus aureus suşlarında 7–10 mm aralığında inhibisyon zonları oluşturduğunu göstermiştir. Minimum inhibitör konsantrasyon değerlerinin 310–5.080 µg/mL aralığında, minimum bakterisidal konsantrasyonların ise genellikle 10.000 µg/mL’nin üzerinde bulunması, ekstraktın bakteriyostatik etkiye sahip olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Gram-negatif bakterilerde etkinliğin zayıf olması, lipopolisakkarit tabakasının difüzyon engelleyici özelliğiyle ilişkilendirilmiştir. Antioksidan kapasite belirlemesinde, ekstraktın DPPH radikal giderme aktivitesi askorbik asit ile kıyaslanmıştır. 1000 µg/mL konsantrasyonda A. muscaria %97,05 inhibisyon ile askorbik aside (%94,67) eşdeğer düzeyde etki göstermiş; düşük konsantrasyonlarda ise daha güçlü radikal süpürme potansiyeli sergilemiştir (EC₅₀ = 33,5 µg/mL). Elde edilen sonuçlar, A. muscaria’nın antimikrobiyal yönünün sınırlı, ancak antioksidan etkinliğinin oldukça yüksek olduğunu göstermektedir. Elde edilen bulgular, bu mantarın doğal antioksidan bileşiklerin önemli bir kaynağı olabileceğini, ayrıca antimikrobiyal etkinliğinin saf bileşiklerin ayrıştırılması, birlikte kullanım stratejileri veya nanoparçacık temelli yöntemlerle geliştirilebileceğini göstermektedir.

Keywords

• Amanita muscaria
• Mantar
• Antimikrobiyal aktivite
• Antioksidan aktivite
• Mikroorganizma

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