In a last few decades mushrooms are increasingly attracting attention as functional food and sources of biologically active compounds. Several Trametes species have been used for centuries in traditional medicine of East Asia cultures, but only T. versicolor was studied sufficiently while there are less substantial data about medicinal properties of other species. Trametes versicolor, T. hirsuta and T. gibbosa were the species tested for biological activities. Antifungal potentials of extracts were assessed for clinical strains of selected Candida and Aspergillus species. ABTS and FRAP assays were used to evaluate antioxidant capacities of studied extracts. Cytotoxic activity was determined against human cervix and lung adenocarcinoma and colon carcinoma cell lines. Antineurodegenerative activity was assessed by determining the rate of acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase activity. The presence of metabolites in extracts of mycelia and basidiocarps of studied Trametes species was analyzed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Studied extracts showed low antifungal potential in comparison with ketoconazole. Basidiocarp extracts were more effective ABTS⁺ scavengers and Fe²⁺ reducers than mycelium ones but less effective in comparison with L-ascorbic acid. Results showed that mycelium extracts had stronger cytotoxic effects against three cancer cell lines than basidiocarp ones, and that cervix adenocarcinoma cells were the most sensitive to the extracts and commercial cytostatics. T. versicolor mycelium extract was the most effective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase activity but double weaker than galantamine, and T. gibbosa mycelium extract was significantly better inhibitor of tyrosinase activity than kojic acid for 40.9%. Chemical analysis indicated strong synergistic action of triterpenes, sugars and polyphenols in applied assays. The results suggest that tested Trametes species have significant medicinal potentials which could be attributed to antioxidative and cytotoxic activity. Additionally both, basidiocarps and mycelia extracts can strongly inhibit activity of acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high selenium (Se) concentrations on morphophysiological and ultrastructural properties ofPleurotus ostreatus. Mycelium growth was good in media enriched with 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 mg L⁻¹of Se, concentration of 500.0 mg L⁻¹strongly inhibited growth, and 1000.0 mg L⁻¹was the minimum inhibitory concentration. Contrary to thin-walled, hyaline, branched, and anastomized hyphae with clamp-connections in the control, at Se concentrations of 100.0 and 500.0 mg L⁻¹, they were noticeably short, frequently septed and branched, with a more intensive extracellular matrix, and without clamp-connections. At high Se concentrations, hyphae with intact membrane, without cellular contents, with a high level of vacuolization, and with numerous proteinaceous bodies were observed. Biomass yield ranged between 11.8 g L⁻¹, in the control, and 6.8 g L⁻¹, at an Se concentration of 100.0 mg L⁻¹, while no production was detected at a concentration of 500.0 mg L⁻¹. Se content in the mycelia reached a peak (938.9 μg g⁻¹) after cultivation in the medium enriched with Se at the concentration of 20.0 mg L⁻¹, while the highest absorption level (53.25%) was found in the medium enriched with 5.0 mg L⁻¹Se.

Global industrialization and agricultural development are related to the release of various pollutants into the environment including huge amounts of free radicals, which are associated with the occurrence of various destructive diseases and disorders. Due to different rates of metabolic activity and oxygen consumption, organisms, organs and tissues have distinct protective antioxidant systems and defence mechanisms. Although numerous synthetic antioxidants can improve defence system capacity, because of their toxic and mutagenic effects as well as rising awareness of a healthy lifestyle, preference is given to natural antioxidants. Therefore, studies of metabolites of various fungal species and their activity are currently increasing. Antioxidant features of numerous compounds isolated from mushrooms, such as phenolic compounds, vitamins, polysaccharides, peptides, proteins, organic acids, carotenoids, alkaloids, and nucleotides, have been reported. Chemical composition and antioxidant potential of mushrooms are highly-dependent on species, habitat, phase of life cycle (mycelium, young or mature fruiting body), method of processing, extraction solvent, and extract dose. Although around only 5% of fungal species have been well studied and thousands more species have potential benefit for mankind, reports on the antioxidant potentials of fungi are already numerous and these are the subject of this review.