Analysis of Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Selected Trametes Species (Agaricomycetes) from Iran

The remarkable spectrum of bioactive compounds in medicinal mushrooms makes them an excellent source for treating a variety of diseases. Among these, Trametes Fr. is a notable genus of mushrooms, containing several species with recognized medicinal properties. This study aimed to explore the biochemical composition and biological activities of three wild mushroom species: Trametes versicolor, T. hirsuta, and T. gibbosa. The mushrooms were collected from the Hyrcanian Forest in northern Iran. Hot water extracts were prepared from both basidiocarps and mycelia to evaluate their antioxidant activity, phytochemical content, and cytotoxicity against specific cancer cell lines. The findings revealed that all hot water extracts possess considerable amounts of polysaccharides and proteins, with a lower content of phenolic compounds. The extracts displayed notable cytotoxic effects against MCF-7, Hep G2, and A549 cell lines. Notably, basidiocarp extracts exhibited significantly stronger cytotoxicity than mycelium extracts. In particular, basidiocarp extracts from T. hirsuta and T. versicolor showed potent anticancer effects on MCF-7 and A549 cells, with IC50 values of less than 100 μg/mL. Additionally, T. versicolor basidiocarp and mycelia extracts demonstrated significantly higher antioxidant activity, particularly in scavenging DPPH and superoxide radicals, compared with the other species. The monosaccharide composition analysis of T. versicolor extracts revealed that glucose was the most abundant monosaccharide in both mycelium and basidiocarp extracts. Additionally, these polysaccharides contained galactose, mannose, arabinose, and xylose. Overall, the results of this study suggest that Trametes species from Iran are a promising source of valuable biological compounds, which could serve as effective complementary treatments for cancer.