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Feasibility of the use of Lentinula edodes mycelium in terbinafine remediation

Summary

Scientists tested whether shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) could remove terbinafine, a common antifungal medication, from contaminated environments. The mushroom mycelium successfully accumulated and broke down the drug into harmless byproducts, with no trace remaining in the surrounding medium. This eco-friendly approach offers a promising alternative to expensive chemical cleanup methods for pharmaceutical pollution.

Background

Environmental pollution with pharmaceutical compounds, particularly antifungal agents like terbinafine, is an emerging environmental concern. Mycoremediation using fungi has become an increasingly popular bioremediation technique for removing xenobiotics and pharmaceutical residues from contaminated environments.

Objective

To investigate whether the white-rot fungus Lentinula edodes can effectively remediate terbinafine, a common antifungal agent available in powder or cream forms, through biodegradation and biosorption processes.

Results

Terbinafine powder negatively affected biomass growth, while total terbinafine accumulation in dry mycelium was 7.63±0.45 mg (powder) and 12.52±2.46 mg (cream). No terbinafine was detected in the culture medium after incubation, and three biodegradation products (TP-1, TP-7, TP-12) were identified via loss of 1-naphthylmethanol through oxidative deamination, N-demethylation, or tert-butyl group hydroxylation.

Conclusion

Lentinula edodes mycelium can effectively remediate terbinafine through biodegradation and bioaccumulation, offering a promising eco-friendly alternative to traditional physicochemical remediation methods for removing pharmaceutical contaminants from the environment.
  • Published in:3 Biotech,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMID: 32257740, DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-02177-6
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