Biotransformation of xenobiotics by mycelium of Laricifomes officinalis (Polyporales, Basidiomycota)

Laricifomes officinalis is known for producing biologically active pharmaceuticals. This species belongs to wood-decay fungi capable of biotransforming various xenobiotics. Despite this potential, the ability of L. officinalis to biotransform various chemical compounds has not been previously investigated. This study is aimed at evaluating the biotransformation ability of three strains of L. officinalis towards diclofenac, naproxen, N-cyclohexylbenzamide, and N-phenylcyclohexanecarboxamide. As a result, all four selected compounds underwent successful biotransformation, and hydroxylated metabolites were detected for all of them. The biotransformation sufficiency of the four studied compounds was 80.5–83.1% of diclofenac, 78.1–88.4% of naproxen, 58.2% of N-phenylcyclohexanecarboxamide, and 61% of N-cyclohexylbenzamide. Additionally, other types of metabolites were identified in the biotransformation of diclofenac and naproxen. Among the three studied strains, L. officinalis 2498 demonstrated the highest efficiency in degrading the tested compounds.