Studies of the Antimicrobial Activity of Mushrooms (Agaricales) from South America (Review).

ABSTRACT

South America harbors much of the world's biodiversity, representing a potential reservoir of species with diverse possibilities for use. From this perspective, mushroom species are included because they naturally produce a wide variety of substances, especially ones with antimicrobial activity. In this article we present a review of the literature on the antimicrobial activity of mushrooms collected in South America, emphasizing the bacteria and fungi these mushrooms inhibit, the main methodologies researchers use for antimicrobial tests, and some directions for future research. This review demonstrates that the agar diffusion test was the most prevalent method in studies of South American mushrooms. Most studies dealt with specimens collected in Chile (16 species), Brazil (10 species), and Uruguay (2 species), and 27 of those species presented antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, most research developed with Basidiomycetes in South America aimed only to screen antimicrobial agents, whereas few studies explored the antimicrobial potential of purified secondary metabolites. Thus it is very important to conduct research in order to screen for and isolate antimicrobial substances, which researchers can then use to develop new antimicrobial drugs.