Ethnobotanical diversity, phytochemical screening and biological evaluation of selected medicinal mushrooms species

The current study was aimed to investigate the ethno-pharmacology, diversity, biological potentials of different mushrooms species from District Swabi, Pakistan. Ethno-pharmacological data was collected from 73 respondents based on interview, group discussion and field visits. Quantitative analysis such as informant consent factor (ICF), Use value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) were done. Morphological identification of mushrooms, extract preparation, phytochemical screening and statistical analysis of data was conducted. Phytochemical analysis of six mushroom species revealed that saponins, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids and phenols were present in six selected mushrooms, while tannin and steroids (−) present in Agaricus arvensis. In Morchella conica only steroids (−) was absent, Qunion (−) in Polyporus tuberaster, Pleurotus ostreatus and Omphalotus olearius were found absent. Moisture contents (10.17 ± 1.27) and crude fats (5.26 ± 1.50) present in Omphalotus olearius. Highest content of crude fibers (26.57 ± 0.86) and carbohydrates (62.18 ± 0.73) were found in Pleurotus ostreatus. Highest ash contents (12.62 ± 0.46) were reported in Polyporus tuberaster. The respondents’ consensus factor values ranged from 1.66 to 61.74 in which highest ICF value was 61.74 while the lowest was 1.66. The high RFC was recorded for Agaricus (0.67) while lowest RFC was observed in Clitocybe frondasa (0.05). The results of analgesic activity were compared to the diclofenac (Standard drug). The extracts of aqueous and methanolic extract were most active at the level of (400 mg/kg). As antipyretic agents, methanolic and aqueous extracts of Agaricus species were analyzed for anti-inflammatory activity compare to diclofenac (Standard drug) where the aqueous (200 mg/kg) and methanolic (400 mg/kg) were found to be very active. Finally, mushrooms with high (ICF and UV) were further investigated for phytochemicals and pharmacological analysis which revealed significant biological potentials. This provides basic ground information which can be used to explore novel mushroom-based medicines for the treatment of various diseases. The commercial cultivation of mushrooms represents a promising opportunity to leverage their diverse health benefits and nutritional properties. By prioritizing research and cultivation methods while educating the public, the potential of mushrooms as vital components of both nutrition and medicine can be significantly realized, impacting health outcomes and contributing to sustainable agricultural practices.