Antibacterial Properties of Selected Lignicolous Mushrooms and Fungi from Northern Serbia

Antibacterial activity of organic extracts (70% methanol, 100% chloroform) from 10 lignicolous mushroom and fungal species—Meripilus giganteus, Laetiporus sulphureus, Coriolus versicolor, Flammulina velutipes, Ganoderma lucidum, G. applanatum, Pleurotus ostreatus, Piptoporus betulinus, Panus tigrinus, and Fistulina hepatica—was analyzed against 18 strains of bacteria using the agar-well diffusion assay. The level of antimicrobial effect was determined by dilution susceptibility tests in micro-plates. Antibiotic susceptibility assay of the bacterial strains to common antibiotics was done with the disk-diffusion method. The extracts of Piptoporus betulinus were the most active. The examined extracts, including M. giganteus and P. tigrinus, which were tested for the first time, inhibited mostly Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus sp., Rhodococcus equi, and Staphylococcus aureus) resistant to common antibiotics. Minimal inhibitory concentrations ranged from 17.5 to 9000 μg/mL. The results demonstrate that lignicolous mushrooms and fungi may be rich sources for new biologically active products.