Mycochemical profiles and bioactivities of Fistulina hepatica and Volvopluteus gloiocephalus from Serbia: Antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and cytotoxic potentials

Abstract

Fungi represent a valuable source of bioactive compounds, offering potential applications in functional foods and pharmaceuticals. Fistulina hepatica (Schaeff.) With. and Volvopluteus gloiocephalus (DC.) Vizzini, Contu & Justo, two autochthonous fungi from Serbia, remain underexplored for their mycochemical composition and biological activities. This study aims to evaluate their bioactive potential, emphasizing antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, and cytotoxic properties. Extracts from F. hepatica and V. gloiocephalus were obtained using solvents of different polarities (acetone, CHCl₃, 80% MeOH, 70% EtOH, H₂O and PSH), and dried fruiting bodies were subjected to chemical analysis. The chemical analyses included Fourier–transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis with mycroanalysis, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) profiling. While AAS profiling of minerals was conducted on the dried fruiting bodies, all other analyses were performed on the extracts. In vitro assays were performed to assess the antioxidant capacity, cytotoxicity against CCRF-CEM cells, and digestive enzyme inhibition (α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase) of the extracts.

Both fungi exhibited significant antioxidant activity comparable to the standard antioxidant compound propyl gallate. Additionally, extracts showed potent enzyme inhibition, including hypoglycemic and lipase activities, indicating their potential as hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic agents, particularly in F. hepatica. Conversely, the acetone extract of V. gloiocephalus demonstrated notable cytotoxicity against CCRF-CEM cancer cells. PCA analysis confirmed correlations between bioactive compounds and bioactivities.

These findings highlight the potential of F. hepatica and V. gloiocephalus as promising sources of natural bioactive compounds with applications in addressing metabolic disorders, cancer and oxidative stress, as functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals.