Research Article
In Vitro Evaluation of Antimicrobial Efficacy of
Extracts Obtained from Raw and Fermented Wild
Macrofungus, Lenzites quercina
Olusola Clement Ogidi, Victor Olusegun Oyetayo, and Bamidele Juliet Akinyele
Department of Microbiology, Te Federal University of Technology, PMB 704, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria
Correspondence should be addressed to Olusola Clement Ogidi; clementogidi@yahoo.com
Received 31 July 2015; Accepted 13 October 2015
Academic Editor: Maurizio Sanguinetti
Copyright © 2015 Olusola Clement Ogidi et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly
cited.
In recent time, there is a major concern about antibiotic resistance displayed by some pathogenic microorganisms and this had
involved a continuous search for natural antimicrobial products. Te phytochemistry as well as antimicrobial activity of extracts
obtained from Lenzites quercina was investigated. Te extracts and purifed fractions were, respectively, tested against indicator
organisms using agar well difusion and disc difusion methods. Te quantity of phytochemicals found in the extracts of L. quercina
ranged from 14.4 to 20.7 mg/g for alkaloids, 6.1 to 12.8 mg/g for steroids, 4.5 to 10.6 mg/g for saponins, 2.8 to 17.2 mg/g for terpenoids,
and 0.41 to 17.1mg/g for favonoids. Te gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry (GCMS) analysis of the extract reveals the
presence of caprylic acid, stearic acid, tetradecanoic acid, methyl-11-octadecenoate, oleic acid, and 4-methyl-2-propyl-1-pentanol.
Extracts of L. quercina and its purifed fractions exhibited wider range of inhibition (4 mm to 26 mm) on Staphylococcus aureus
(ATCC 29213), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Escherichia coli (ATCC 35218), Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA), Salmonella typhi, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger. Te antimicrobial efects
of L. quercina extracts indicate that this wild macrofungus contains signifcant amount of pharmacological agents, which could be
extracted to curb the menace of antibiotic resistances by pathogenic organisms.
1. Introduction
Te current resistance of disease-causing organisms to com-
mon antibiotics is of serious concern and hence requires
prompt attention. Species of Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli,
Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella dysen-
teriae, and Salmonella typhi had been termed as multidrug
resistance organisms [1, 2]. Te virulent potentials and drug-
resistant patterns of these pathogenic organisms in commu-
nity health settings are worrisome as most of these resistant
bacteria are capable of horizontal gene transfer, decreased cell
permeability against convectional antibiotics, and alteration
of the ribosomal binding site [3]. Tus, the problem of
antibiotic resistance is now a global challenge that is growing
at an alarming pace but more rapidly in both underdeveloped
and developing countries [4, 5].
Aside from the abuse of antibiotics, several circumstances
such as production of antibiotics with lower active ingredient,
self-medication, and sales of expired antibiotics contribute to
the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance. In order to curb the
problem of antibiotic resistances, the use of biologically active
compounds from natural products needs to be explored.
Medicinal mushrooms are richer source of natural sec-
ondary metabolites that are antimicrobial in nature [6]. Te
health-promoting benefts of secondary metabolites sourced
from medicinal mushrooms had tremendously increased
the chances of obtaining novel and safe antimicrobial com-
pounds, which will combat and reduce the incidence of
antibiotic resistance [7].
Lenzites quercina is basidiomycetes causing white rot in
woods. Tis macrofungus is cosmopolitan in nature. How-
ever, there is dearth of information on the phytochemistry
and antimicrobial properties of this macrofungus sourced in
Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. Te present study is therefore
meant to assess the phytochemical constituents and antimi-
crobial activity of raw and fermented L. quercina extracts.
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
International Journal of Microbiology
Volume 2015, Article ID 106308, 7 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/106308