Taxonomy and Biopharmaceutical Properties of a Newly Discovered Variety of Lentinus squarrosulus (Agaricomycetes) from West Bengal, India

In the present study, a unique mushroom belonging to the genus Lentinus was collected from the Lateritic region of West Bengal, India. The purpose of our investigation is to determine its taxonomic identity and evaluate its therapeutic properties, with a particular emphasis on its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. A thorough morpho-molecular investigation revealed that the collected mushroom is a novel variety that has been named Lentinus squarrosulus var. odoratus in recognition of its potent, rotting banana-like aroma. The methanolic extract of the desiccated basidiocarps exhibits potent antioxidant properties, as evidenced by the EC50 values that range from 314.201 ± 3.12 to 933.48 ± 3.58 μg/mL, contingent upon the type of free radicals employed. The extracted fraction was also discovered to be effective in inhibiting the growth of human-pathogenic bacterial strains in a dose-responsive manner, as evidenced by the low MIC50 values, which varied from 281.61 ± 1.64 to 680.31 ± 4.12 μg/mL depending on the strains under investigation. The inhibitory effect was shown to be potentially caused by an increase in membrane porosity and damage to the cell wall, resulting in the leaking of intracellular components. The findings of this research indicate that there is a significant therapeutic potential encased in this mushroom, necessitating further comprehensive investigation.