Nutraceutical and bioactive potential of Macrocybe gigantea through nutritional, phytochemical and GC-MS characterization

Abstract

Macrocybe gigantea is a giant edible mushroom traditionally consumed in India, but its bioactive potential remained underexplored. In this study, the species was identified by morphological and ITSbased molecular analysis, and its nutritional, phytochemical, and antimicrobial properties were evaluated. Nutritional analysis revealed appreciable carbohydrate (35.4 gm/100 gm DW) and protein (22.3 gm/100 gm DW) content, while mineral profiling indicated exceptionally high iron levels (196.5 mg/100 gm). Phytochemical screening showed a total phenolic content of 14 mg GAE/gm and flavonoid content of 3 mg QE/gm, which correlated with strong antioxidant activity (78% DPPH radical inhibition at 500 μg/ mL). Antimicrobial assays demonstrated significant antifungal activity, particularly against Curvularia lunata (93.2% inhibition) and Curvularia hominis (93.2% inhibition). GC-MS analysis of the methanolic extract revealed bioactive metabolites, including fatty acid esters and sugar derivatives such as â-Dgalactopyranoside and octadecadienoic acid derivatives, compounds known for antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. Overall, the findings highlight M. gigantea as a nutritionally rich mushroom with strong antioxidant and antifungal potential, supporting its ethnomedicinal use and suggesting promising applications in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.