Profiling phenolic constituents and tissue-specific biological activities of the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus: Evidence from in vitro and in silico studies

Abstract

Pleurotus ostreatus is an edible mushroom rich in bioactive phenolics. This study investigates the tissue-specific phenolic profiles and biological activities of cap and stipe extracts from a Libyan wild P. ostreatus using HPLC-DAD, experimental bioassays, and computational analysis. HPLC-DAD revealed a clear tissue-dependent distribution; the cap extract was dominated by chlorogenic (55.07%) and gallic acids (35.63%), while the stipe extract showed a more diversified composition. Consequently, the cap exhibited higher total phenolic/flavonoid contents and stronger antioxidant activity (DPPH IC₅₀ = 16.74 µg/mL). Conversely, the stipe demonstrated pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, achieving 93.1% inhibition of protein denaturation (IC₅₀ = 5.13 µg/mL), comparable to diclofenac. Both extracts showed antimicrobial activity and selective cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells, with minimal toxicity toward normal WI-38 fibroblasts. Molecular docking and density functional theory (DFT) analyses supported these findings, confirming stable interactions of major phenolics with the Bcl-2 protein. These results emphasize the importance of tissue-specific evaluation of mushroom extracts.

KEY WORDS: Antioxidant activity, Cap and stipe, Cytotoxicity, Molecular docking, Pleurotus ostreatus

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2026, 40(10), 2265-2286.                                                      

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v40i10.15