Cytotoxicity activity of some wild mushroom species from Southern Highlands of Tanzania

Abstract

The crude extracts from six wild mushroom species (Russula cellulata, Afrocantharellussymoensis, Lactarius sp, Lactarius denigricans, Russula kivuensis, Amanita muscaria and Amanita phalloides) collected from the Southern Highlands of Tanzania were evaluated for cytotoxicity effects against Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) nauplii. The lethal concentration which kills 50% of the larva, LC50 (μg/mL) of the wild mushroom extracts was evaluated. The results showed that, A. muscaria ethanol (MS1E) and petroleum ether (MS1PE) extracts exhibited highest cytotoxicity activity with LC50 of 11.00 and 13.72 μg/mL respectively. Lactarius. denigricans ethanol extract (BM10E) also possessed highest cytotoxicity activity with LC50 of 12.77 μg/mL as compared to its petroleum ether extract (BM10PE) with LC50 of 18.96 μg/mL, followed by chloroform (BM10C) and acetone (BM10A) extracts with LC50 of 32.56 μg/mL and 47.79 μg/mL respectively. In contrast, petroleum ether extract of A. symoensis (BM6PE) showed non-toxic effect on Brine shrimp larvae with LC50 of 202.96 μg/mL. The study on cytotoxicity effect of wild mushrooms will give an insight into possibility of isolating stronger anticancer agents.