In vitro pharmacological screening of macrofungi extracts from the Brazilian northeastern region.

Although the use of macrofungi in popular medicine is very common, especially in East Asia, the knowledge about their pharmacological properties is poorly investigated. The aim of this work was to evaluate the pharmacological potential of six species of macroscopic fungi: Phellinus rimosus (Berk.) Pilat (Hymenochaetaceae), Pycnoporus sanguineus (L.) Murrill (Poyporaceae), Hymenochaete rheicolor (Mont.) Lev. (Hymenochaetaceae), Hexagonia papyracea Berk. (Polyporaceae), Datronia caperata (Berk.) Ryvarden (Polyporaceae), and Lepiota sp. (Agaricaceae), collected in the state of Bahia, in north-eastern Brazil. Extracts of these species were obtained and tested to determine their cytotoxicity in normal mouse spleen cells. Immunomodulatory, antineoplasic and antiparasitic activities were investigated. Four macrofungi extracts (Phellinus rimosus, Hymenochaete rheicolor, Lepiota sp., and Datronia caperata) inhibited the lymphoproliferative response stimulated by concanavalin A in 65–96% of inhibition in mitogen-in...