Traditional Knowledge and Study of Medicinal Properties of the Weeping Milk Cap Mushroom Lactarius volemus (Agaricomycetes) in México

Gathering and consumption of wild edible mushrooms are traditional practices in Mexico, influenced by the local culture of indigenous communities. In the Mestiza community of El Salto, municipality of Puente de Ixtla, Morelos, Mexico, traditional knowledge promotes the use and management of natural resources for meeting nutritional, economic, social, cultural, and environmental needs. Main mushroom species are gathered in the community for consumptions or marketing, involving women and men in the processes of collecting, consuming, cleaning, and selling. The traditional consumption of mushrooms supported healthy eating patterns, and <i>Lactarius volemus</i> was found to be a species of the most cultural importance (i.e., the highest frequency of mentioning in the interviews). Antioxidant and antibacterial properties of <i>L. volemus</i> extracts were analyzed and described. <i>L. volemus </i>showed significant DPPH free radical scavenging activity of 355.63 μg/mL, 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) scavenging activity of 742.13 μg/mL, as well as bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. Analyses of the minimal inhibitory concentration showed a high degree of susceptibility; the most potent minimal bactericidal concentration was 28.94 mg/mL recorded against <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i>. Strategies for promoting mushroom consumption in indigenous and peasant communities, based on local cultural traditions, are discussed.