Pharmacological activities of selected wild mushrooms in South Waziristan (FATA), Pakistan

• Pharmacological importance of selected wild mushrooms were evaluated in SWA, Pakistan.
• A. hygrometricus and C. gigantea revealed higher phenolic, antioxidants and cytotoxicity.
• M. esculenta has high protein content that promoted seedling growth of radish.
• C. gigantea extract (10 mg/ml) reduced seed germination and shoot length of radish by 16%.
• Methanol extract of A. hygrometricus and M. esculenta recorded Higher LC50 value.

This study investigates the pharmacological importance of selected wild mushrooms viz., Morchella esculenta (common morel), Calvatia gigantea (Giant puffball) and Astraeus hygrometricus (False earthstar) collected from South Waziristan Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Pakistan. The selected mushrooms were collected from Tehsil Makeen, Wana and Birmal of South Waziristan Agency during a sampling survey conducted in April–May 2010. The dry fruiting bodies of mushrooms were methanol extracted and evaluated for total phenolic, protein, antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity and their effects on radish seed growth. The results revealed that methanol crude extracts prepared from fruiting bodies of A. hygrometricus and C. gigantea have higher phenolic content and total antioxidant activity as well as greater brine shrimp cytotoxicity. On the other hand, M. esculenta has a high level of protein content and promoted seedling growth in radish. Antioxidant activity for A. hygrometricus, C. gigantea and M. esculenta at IC50 values were: 9.3 ± 0.3 μg/ml, 22.2 ± 0.3 μg/ml and 18.0 ± 0.1 μg/ml, respectively. Methanolic extract of C. gigantea (10 mg/ml) reduced the seed germination and shoot length of radish by 16%. In contrast, the methanolic extract (10 mg/ml) of M. esculenta and C. gigantea enhanced the shoot length, root length and root/shoot ratio of radish. Higher LC50 value was recorded for methanolic extract of A. hygrometricus (19.0 ± 0.3 μg/ml) followed by M. esculenta (17 ± 0.19 μg/ml), whereas methanolic extract of C. gigantea showed lower LC50 value (16 ± 0.23 μg/ml). It is inferred from the present investigation that mushrooms collected from South Waziristan could be potential source of compounds with beneficial biological activities.