European Journal of Medicinal Plants

Aim: To determine antimicrobial and antioxidative effects of Ganoderma lucidum.

Place and Duration of Study: Erciyes University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology research laboratory,Kayseri, Turkey, between January to March, 2013.

Methodology: Antimicrobial inhibitory effects were carried out on the extracts using disc diffusion method. Antioxidant activities of the ethanolic and methanolic extracts from G.lucidum were evaluated by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] radical scavenging, metal chelating, total flavonoid and total antioxidant activity assays. In addition, the amounts of phenolic compound, β-carotene and lycopene components in the extracts were determined.

Results: The antimicrobial effects of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of G. lucidum were tested against one species of Gram positive bacteria,  two species of Gram-negative bacteria and two yeast. The highest inhibitory activity was determined against Candida glabrata RSKK 04019 [25±1 mm, inhibition zone diameter]. On the other hand, the lowest inhibitory activity was determined against Candida albicans ATCC 90028 and Bacillus subtilis RSKK 244  [10±1 and 10±0 mm, inhibition zone diameter]. DPPH radical scavenging effect was detected in the methanol extract [IC₅₀ = 3.82±0.04 µg/mL] was higher than the ethanol extracts [IC₅₀ = 7.03±0.07 µg/mL]. Compared to reference antioxidant, the methanol and ethanol extracts of G.lucidum provided a lower IC₅₀ than butylated hydoxyanisole [BHA] [IC₅₀ = 0.30±0.01 µg/mL]. Phenolic compounds were the major antioxidant component found in the mushroom extracts.

Conclusion: These results showed that G. lucidum may be used in pharmaceutical applications because of its effective antioxidant properties.