First report of therapeutic investigation and metabolic profiling of edible mushroom Agaricus flocculosipes

The genus Agaricus, classified under the family Agaricaceae and order Agaricales of the class Basidiomycota, comprises nearly 500 species with a cosmopolitan distribution. This genus includes both edible and non-edible species, several of which hold significant nutritional and pharmacological value. Many of these edible mushrooms are well explored for their medicinal properties. Agaricus flocculosipes, is a recent addition in this genus introduced as an edible mushroom, but remains less explored for its therapeutic ability and commercial cultivation. This study for the first time explores medicinal properties of this mushroom. In the present study, A. flocculosipes exhibited selective inhibitory activity against Gram-positive pathogens, with the chloroform extract recording both Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) values at 50 µg/mL against Streptococcus pyogenes. Biofilm inhibition assays further demonstrated over 85% reduction in S. pyogenes biofilm formation at a concentration of 46 µg/mL. The chloroform extract also displayed potent anticancer activity, characterized by nuclear condensation, activation of caspase-9 and caspase-7, cleavage of Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and upregulation of Bax, thereby inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. Metabolomic profiling of the chloroform fraction revealed a diverse array of bioactive compounds likely contributing to these observed biological effects. Collectively, these findings position A. flocculosipes as a promising medicinal mushroom with significant potential for future pharmacological and biotechnological research.