Extrapolating Qualitative Mycochemical Profiling and Therapeutic Potential of Two Mycorrhizal Amanita Species (Agaricomycetes) from Pakistan

The present study was an attempt to evaluate the antimicrobial and anthelmintic potential of two Amanita species, i.e., A. orsonii and A. glarea, along with their qualitative mycochemical screening. Maceration technique was adopted to make crude extracts in non-polar (petroleum ether and chloroform) and polar (ethanol and distilled water) solvents. Qualitative mycochemical screening revealed the presence of a variety of secondary metabolites like terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins, and cardiac glycosides. Antimicrobial activities were carried out by using agar well diffusing method against four bacterial and one fungal strain. The antibacterial potential ranged between 4.86 ± 0.088 mm and 34.83 ± 0.166 mm with maximum inhibition zone exhibited by petroleum ether extract against Pseudomonas fluorescens and least potential by distilled water macerate of A. orsonii against the Escherichia coli. The antifungal activity ranged between 14.5 ± 0.288 and 24.76 ± 0.145 mm, with the highest potential provided by chloroform extract of A. orsonii and least capability put forward by A. glarea by petroleum ether extract against Fusarium solanii. Antibiotics and antimycotic discs were used as standard and some of the crude extracts showed bigger zone of inhibition as compared to standard. Different concentrations of ethanolic extracts of both mushrooms were subjected to anthelmintic potential against parasite Haemonchus contortus. All the crude extracts were more potent than standard oxfandazole used. Anthelmintic potential ranged between 9.9 ± 0.057 and 54.93 ± 0.033 minutes for death of parasite, while the paralyzed time ranged between 4.86 ± 0.088 and 24.86 ± 0.088 minutes. From the results obtained it was concluded that both mushrooms can be used as potential source of curative antibacterial, antifungal, and anthelmintic agents against several diseases that might be used in pharmaceutical industries for making medicines and to screen out secondary metabolites in future.