Feasibility of the Use of Lentinula edodes Mycelium in Terbinafine Remediation

Author: mycolabadmin
2020-03-29
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Summary

This research investigated how shiitake mushroom mycelium can help clean up antifungal drug pollution from the environment. The study found that the mushroom can effectively break down terbinafine, a common antifungal medication, potentially offering a natural solution to pharmaceutical contamination. Impacts on everyday life: • Provides a potential eco-friendly method to clean up drug pollution from water and soil • Demonstrates how natural organisms can help solve environmental contamination problems • Could lead to more sustainable ways to dispose of unused medications • Helps protect aquatic ecosystems from pharmaceutical pollution • May reduce the environmental impact of commonly used antifungal medications

Background

Environmental pollution with pharmaceutical compounds, including antifungal drugs, is a major global concern. Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can enter the environment through manufacturing processes, therapeutic use, and disposal of unused medications. The annual worldwide consumption of pharmaceutical compounds is estimated at 100,000 tonnes. Antifungal drugs pose a particular threat to ecosystems, with some remaining active in ecological conditions for months.

Objective

To investigate whether white-rot fungus (Lentinula edodes) can be effectively utilized for the bioremediation of the common antifungal agent terbinafine, in both powder and cream forms. The study aimed to evaluate the fungus’s ability to accumulate and/or degrade terbinafine and identify its biodegradation products.

Results

The addition of terbinafine powder had a negative effect on biomass growth (p<0.05). The total amount of terbinafine in dry weight mycelium after culture was 7.63 ± 0.45 mg for powder samples and 12.52 ± 2.46 mg for cream samples. No traces of terbinafine were found in the culture medium after the experimental period. The biodegradation of terbinafine resulted in the loss of 1-naphthylmethanol through oxidative deamination, N-demethylation, or tert-butyl group hydroxylation.

Conclusion

L. edodes can be effectively used for the bioremediation of terbinafine. The study demonstrated successful degradation of the drug by the fungus, with no detectable traces remaining in the culture medium. The form of terbinafine (powder vs cream) influenced the remediation process, with cream form showing higher accumulation in mycelium but potentially slower biodegradation.

Published in:3 Biotech,
Study Type:Laboratory Research,
Source: 10.1007/s13205-020-02177-6