An Edible Mushroom With Medicinal Significance; Auricularia polytricha

Auricularia polytricha, also known as wood ear mushroom, is a macrofungus. The aim of study was to determine the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of A. polytricha extracts with two different solutions. We used ethanol and distilled water as a solvent in order to prepare mushroom extracts. The water and ethanol extracts were evaluated for the total antioxidant status according to the procedures described in TAS Assay Kit Rel Assay Diagnostics®, Turkey . Antimicrobial activity was investigated with disc diffusion method against two gram positive bacteria, two gram negative bacteria and one yeast. TAS values of ethanol extracts were determined higher than that of in distilled water extracts. In addition, it was observed that ethanol extracts have antimicrobial activity whereas water extracts have no antimicrobial activity. Ethanol extracts were more effective against Candida albicans 15.6 ± 1.5 mm than other microorganisms. Significantly, ethanol extracts of mushroom showed antifungal activity. Among other four test microorganisms, Pseudomonas aeroginosa 13.1 ± 1.9 mm had higher antimicrobial activity. In conclusion, the investigation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of edible mushrooms have become important for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents. A. polytricha has both antioxidant and antimicrobial properties against to C. albicans, E. coli, E. faecalis, P. aeroginosa, and S. aureus. And also, other positive contributions to health of this mushroom will be determined by means of the other studies planne