A total of 50 different actinomycete strains were recovered from farming soil samples collected from Manisa Province and its surrounding. These were then assessed for their antibacterial activity against four phytopathogenic and six pathogenic bacteria. Results indicated that 34% of all isolates are active against, at least, one of the test organisms;Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Erwinia amylovora, Pseudomonas viridiflova,Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, Bacillus subtilis ATTC 6633,Klebsiella pneumoniae ATTC 10031, Enterococcus feacalis ATCC 10541,Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Esherichia coli ATCC 29998 and Sarcina lutea ATCC 9341. According to antibacterial activity and spectrum broadness, seven of the isolates were selected and characterized by conventional methods. The unusual antibiotic profile of these isolates underlined their potential as a source of novel antibiotics. Key words: Streptomyces, soil, characterization, antibacterial activity, screening.

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of mycelia obtained from 10 wild edible mushrooms—Armillaria mellea, Meripilus giganteus, Morchella costata, Morchella elata, Morchella esculenta var. vulgaris, Morchella hortensis, Morchella rotunda, Paxillus involutus, Pleurotus eryngii, and Pleurotus ostreatus—were investigated. For determination of antimicrobial activities of these mushrooms, ethanol extracts were examined with 11 test microorganisms by the agar well diffusion method. P. ostreatus and M. giganteus were the most active species against both bacteria and yeast. Antioxidant properties of ethanol extracts were studied by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging method. Among the mushroom extracts, M. elata showed the most potent radical scavenging activity. This research has shown that these 10 wild macrofungi have potential as natural antioxidants and antibiotics.

Ethanol extracts of 19 Turkish medicinal plants, used in the traditional system of medicine, were investigated for their antimicrobial activity against 14 pathogenic bacterial species and a yeast, Candida albicans., using the agar well diffusion method. Anticandidal activity was detected in 10 plant extracts. Extracts of Eucalyptus camuldulensis. (leaves), Rosmarinus officinalis. (leaves), Ecballium elaterium. (leaves, fruits; 2:1, v/v), Liquidambar orientalis. (leaves), Cornus sanguinea. (leaves, flowers, stems; 2:1:1, v/v/v), Vitis vinifera. (leaves, raw fruits, young branches; 2:1:1, v/v/v), Inula viscosa. (leaves), Hypericum perforatum. (leaves, flowers, stems; 2:1:1, v/v/v), and Punica granatum. (leaves, flowers; (2:1, v/v) showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity with inhibition zones ranging from 4 to 34 mm. The most resistant organisms were Escherichia coli., Candida albicans., Pseudomonas fluorescens., Bacillus subtilis. ATCC 6683, and Enterobacter faecalis. ATCC 29212, and the most susceptible species were Proteus vulgaris. ATCC 6997, Salmonella typhimurium. CCM 5445, Staphylococcus epidermidis. ATCC 12228, and Serratia marcescens. CCM 583, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined for the seven highly active plants that showed antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. ATCC 95047 (MRSA), E. coli., and C. albicans.. The MICs of active extracts ranged from 8 to 14.2 mg/mL while the MBCs were 14.2 to 24.4 mg/mL.

In this study, the antioxidant activity of mycelia from 21 wild mushrooms – Agaricus bresadolanus, Auricularia auricula-judae, Chroogomphus rutilus, Fomes fomentarius, Ganoderma lucidum, Gloeophyllum trabeum, Gymnopus dryophilus, Infundibulicybe geotropa, Inocybe flocculosa var. crocifolia, Inocybe catalaunica, Lentinula edodes, Lentinus sajor-caju, Lycoperdon excipuliforme, Macrolepiota excoriata, Morchella esculenta var. rigida, Morchella intermedia, Omphalotus olearius, Pleurotus djamor, Postia stiptica, Rhizopogon roseolus and Stropharia inuncta – were investigated. Antioxidant properties of ethanol, chloroform and water extracts of these 21 mycelia were studied by two methods: free radical scavenging (DPPH) and the scavenging activity of 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical cation (ABTS^.+). Among the 21 mushroom extracts, Omphalotus olearius displayed the most potent antioxidant activity. The study has shown that these wild macrofungi have potential as natural antioxidants.