Abstract:
Antibiotic resistance is a global challenge of our times. To avert the problem, search for
alternative antibiotics from natural sources is inevitable. This study sought to extract antibiotics
from edible and non-edible wild mushrooms from Menengai crater. The mushroom samples
were collected in new khaki bags from Menengai crater and transported to the laboratory. The
samples were dried under room temperature (25±2oC). Extraction of the crude extracts was
carried out using ethyl acetate, methanol, ethanol and acetone. Antibiotic bioassay was done
using Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique against Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212),
Staphilococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Klebsiella
pneumoniae (ATCC 70063), Aspergillus flavus (ATCC 9170), Aspergillus fumigates (96918)
and Candida albicans (10231). The yield of crude extract obtained using ethyl acetate, methanol,
ethanol and acetone varied significantly (P=0.009). Likewise, the total phenolic content varied
significantly among the extracts (P= 0.000105). However, the zones of inhibition did not vary
significantly among the bacterial (P=0.98) and fungal pathogens (P=0.61). The selected
mushroom samples produced bioactive compounds that inhibited growth of the selected
pathogenic microorganisms. There is need to characterize the active compounds in the crude
extracts obtained from the mushroom samples.
