Antimicrobial activity of fomitoid fungi extracts growing in the territory of the Republic of Belarus

Aim – to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of crude and fractionated extracts from polypore fruiting bodies (Fomitopsis spp.) native to Belarus. Material and methods. Polypore mushroom extracts were obtained through remaceration and fractionation using solvents of increasing polarity in a Soxhlet apparatus. Total phenolic, steroid, and triterpenoid content was quantified by photometric methods, while antimicrobial activity against test microorganisms was assessed via agar well diffusion assay. Results. It was shown that the extracts of P. betulinus demonstrate an effect on S. aureus, B. subtilis and S. marcescens compared to that of antibiotics. The extracts of F. pinicola showed morerate activity against S. aureus and Ps. aeruginosa. The fractioning of extracts based on their polarity revealed prevalence of triterpenoid compounds in non-polar fractions, their major concentration being found in the extracts of P. betulinus. Phenolic compounds accumulate mostly in ethylacetate and ethanolic fractions, the highest concentration being found in the extracts of Ph. igniarius and F. fomentarius. The results of antibacterial screening of fractionated extracts confirmed the leading role of lypophillic components in the antimicrobial activity of polypores: the non-polar fractions (petroleum ether, CHCl3, and ethylacetate) demonstrated higher levels of antimicrobial activity. Conclusions. The results highlight the promise of investigating lipophilic compounds from Fomitopsis polypores as potential sources of natural antimicrobial agents. Future research will focus on isolating and characterizing active compounds, elucidating their mechanisms of action, and exploring medical applications.