Investigation of Nutritional Composition, Antioxidant Compounds, and Antimicrobial Activity of Wild Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms Boletus edulis and Lactarius deliciosus (Agaricomycetes) from Brazil

Abstract

Wild edible mushrooms are found around the world, and widely appreciated in gastronomy, medicine, and pharmacology. This study investigated the chemical characterization of Boletus edulis and Lactarius deliciosus wild edible mushrooms, naturally grown in the mountain range of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Mushrooms were separated in stem and cap, and the nutritional composition was conducted in fresh matter. Antioxidant compounds were extracted in three solvents, and total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial activity were evaluated. The results demonstrate that moisture, ashes, lipids, crude protein, carbohydrates, and calories presented a significant difference according to the species evaluated. Mushrooms presented more than 85% of moisture, high content of crude protein, and carbohydrates. B. edulis had the highest content of antioxidant compounds compared with L. deliciosus, tested by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assay. High free radical inhibition and low IC50 values were obtained, demonstrating that B. edulis presents a strong antioxidant capacity. Regarding the antimicrobial activity, B. edulis extracts were effective in controlling Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, demonstrating biological application. Based on the aforementioned, future studies can be addressed in the development of innovative food products, medicines, and pharmaceuticals, using B. edulis and L. deliciosus wild edible mushroom. Therefore, wild edible mushrooms evaluated in this study had the potential to be used in human consumption, providing essential nutrients, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids, with high antioxidant and antimicrobial activity.