Evaluation of the phytoconstituents of Auricularia auricula-judae mushroom and antimicrobial activity of its protein extract

Angus Nnamdi Oli; Peter Anyigor Edeh; Reham M Al-Mosawi; Nancy Amara Mbachu; Hussein O M Al-Dahmoshi; Noor S K Al-Khafaji; Uchechukwu Onyeukwu Ekuma; Ugochukwu Moses Okezie; Morteza Saki

doi:10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101176

Evaluation of the phytoconstituents of Auricularia auricula-judae mushroom and antimicrobial activity of its protein extract

Eur J Integr Med. 2020 Sep:38:101176. doi: 10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101176. Epub 2020 Jul 29.

Authors

Angus Nnamdi Oli¹, Peter Anyigor Edeh¹, Reham M Al-Mosawi², Nancy Amara Mbachu³, Hussein O M Al-Dahmoshi⁴, Noor S K Al-Khafaji⁴, Uchechukwu Onyeukwu Ekuma⁵, Ugochukwu Moses Okezie¹, Morteza Saki^{6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Agulu, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
² Department of Microbiology, Dentistry College of Basic Science, Basrah University, Basrah, Iraq.
³ Department of Human Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.
⁴ Biology Department, College of Science, University of Babylon, Babylon Province-Hilla City, Iraq.
⁵ Department of Microbiology, Eastern Palm University, Ogboko, Imo State, Nigeria.
⁶ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
⁷ Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: The growing resistance to antibiotics and the complexity of defeating multi-drug resistant bacteria have led to an increase in the search for novel and effective antimicrobials from various plants. This study aimed to determine the bioactive contents of Auricularia auricular-judae mushroom and evaluate the antimicrobial potential of its protein extract against some selected human bacterial and fungal pathogens which could serve as a lead to the discovery of new antimicrobial agents.

Methods: The constituents of the A. auricular-judae were evaluated by standard phytochemical analysis methods. The agar well diffusion, micro-broth dilution, and time-kill kinetic assays were used to determine the antimicrobial activity of the extracts against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, yeast (Candida albicans), and dermatophytic pathogens.

Results: The preliminary phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of carbohydrate (43.15 %; 38.30 %) proteins (23.75 %; 23.75 %), flavonoids (1.20 %; 0.80 %), alkaloids (0.60 %; 1.00 %), saponin (6.00 %; 2.40 %), tannin (1.65 %; 1.57 %), cyanide (0.24 %; 0.40 %), ash (12.40 %; 10.40 %), moisture (6.00 %;6.00 %), lipids(6.00 %;6.00 %), and fiber (8.70 %; 6.45 %) for the Tris buffer and warm aqueous extracts, respectively. The Tris and warm aqueous protein extracts showed antimicrobial effects toward all the human bacterial pathogens and two fungal isolates.

Conclusions: This study revealed the potential ability of A. auricula-judae for use as a herbal antimicrobial in the treatment of human bacterial and fungal pathogens.

Keywords: Auricularia auricular-judae; Chemical constituents; Minimum inhibitory concentrations; Mushroom; Nigeria; Protein extract.