LAUSR

At present, wild edible mushrooms have attracted considerable interest for their applications in the treatment of degenerative diseases, even though the majority of members have yet to be fully described. In this regard, our team has recently discovered a new macrofungus, Russula pseudocyanoxantha Paloi, K. Acharya & S. Khatua, from tribal cuisine that has long been valued for its health-promoting effects. However, the traditional wisdom remains confined to inhabiting forest dwellers, as the species is not being purchased in the outskirts due to a lack of awareness. This background inspired us to carry out a thorough investigation; thus, the goal of the present study was to explore R. pseudocyanoxantha chemically and pharmacologically using ethanol as the extractant solvent. Metabolite profiling demonstrated enrichment of the fraction with a range of phenolics (5.58 μg of gallic acid equivalents/mg of extract) such as chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, salicylic acid, quercetin, cinnamic acid, and pyrogallol. The presence of flavonoid (4.07 μg of quercetin extracts/mg of extract), β-carotene (0.04 μg/mg of extract), lycopene (0.02 μg/mg of extract), and ascorbic acid (2.34 μg/mg of extract) was also evident. Conversely, notable antioxidant activity was perceived in terms of DPPH· scavenging, ABTS·+ quenching, and Fe2+ chelating ability where half maximal effective concentration EC50 values ranged from 776 to 1357 μg/mL. In addition, the extract possessed good antibacterial properties, particularly against Gram-positive microorganisms (Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus), as evident by low minimum inhibitory concentration data (72-280.5 μg/mL). In addition, a noteworthy antiproliferative effect was also observed as the preparation inhibited Hep3B cell proliferation (IG50 of 481.59 μg/mL), suppressed cell migration, caused nuclear condensation, altered mitochondrial membrane potential, and triggered reactive oxygen species production, indicating involvement of mitochondria-mediated pathway. Thus, the present study showcases R. pseudocyanoxantha as a value-added mushroom that can be used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical fields.