Abstract

Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Persoon (HE) is a mushroom that is used to treat a variety of medical conditions including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and peripheral nerve injury. However, there is a lack of research into its effects against autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aims to explore the inhibitory activity of HE extracts against some bacterial triggers of MS and selected autoimmune diseases. Thus, this study aims to be the first to our knowledge to explore the anti-microbial properties of HE extracts on bacteria that have been shown to be the triggers for MS development.

Methods

HE was extracted using methanol, deionised water, ethyl acetate, hexane and chloroform, and these extracts were tested for biological activities. Antimicrobial activity was tested against Acinetobacter baylyi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, triggers for the development of MS, and Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes, triggers for the development of rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and rheumatic fever, using disc diffusion assays, at concentrations of 24.8, 18.5, 4.2, 5.5 and 5.5 mg/mL respectively, and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were quantified using liquid micro-dilution assays. The toxicity of of the HE extracts was evaluated using the Artemia nauplii lethality assay.

Results

All extracts showed only mild anti-microbial activity except methanol extract against P. mirabilis at 24.8mg/mL showed a 10 mm zone of inhibition. Methanol extracts also showed mild antibacterial activity against P.aeruginosa in the micro-dilution assay at 2.3 mg/mL. The assessment of toxicity using the Artemia nauplii lethality assay showed HE to be non-toxic.

Conclusion