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Mycoremediation of azole antifungal agents using in vitro cultures of Lentinula edodes

Summary

This research shows that shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) can help clean up antifungal medications that contaminate water and soil. When the mushroom mycelium was exposed to two common antifungal drugs used in creams and treatments, it absorbed and broke down these compounds. The mushrooms degraded about one-third of the drugs by targeting their chemical structure, particularly the imidazole ring. This suggests mushrooms could be used as a natural, cost-effective solution for removing pharmaceutical pollution from the environment.

Background

Azole antifungal agents are widely used in pharmaceuticals and agricultural fungicides, leading to their accumulation in wastewater and surface water. Bifonazole and clotrimazole are persistent azole compounds with widespread use in topical formulations. Mycoremediation offers a biological approach to eliminate pharmaceutical pollutants from the environment.

Objective

To evaluate the mycoremediation capacity of bifonazole and clotrimazole by mycelia of Lentinula edodes in in vitro culture. The study aimed to identify biodegradation products using LC/MS/MS analysis and quantify antifungal accumulation in mycelium.

Results

L. edodes mycelia accumulated 4.98, 9.26, and 4.56 mg/g dry weight for bifonazole powder, clotrimazole powder, and bifonazole cream respectively. The degradation process primarily affected the imidazole moiety through hydroxylation and conjugation with sugars or uronic acids. Bifonazole powder showed more efficient bioaccumulation than cream formulation.

Conclusion

Lentinula edodes demonstrated significant potential for mycoremediation of azole antifungal agents through both bioaccumulation and biodegradation. The fungal mycelium effectively degraded the imidazole ring structure of both compounds, suggesting practical application for environmental remediation of pharmaceutical contamination.
  • Published in:3 Biotech,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMID: 31093477
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