Bioactivity assessment of european Phellinus spp.: Antibacterial and antioxidant potential

Phellinus is an important genus within the Hymenochaetaceae family, comprising around 220 species worldwide, and 35 taxa occurring in Europe [ 1 ] [ 2 ]. Taxonomically, Phellinus is a complex genus exhibiting rich species diversity across various habitats, including both temperate and tropical forests [ 3 ]. The genus has undergone extensive taxonomic revisions, with recent molecular phylogenetic studies providing deeper insights into the evolutionary relationships within this group [ 4 ]. In Europe, several Phellinus species are noted for their ecological and medicinal significance, with some having been used in traditional medicine for centuries [ 5 ]. This study aimed to perform a comparative analysis of 16 Phellinus species, collected from Poland, Macedonia, Italy, Portugal, and Kosovo. A series of microbiological tests (MIC) and antioxidant assays (DPPH, ABTS, lipid peroxidation) were conducted on all samples. Subsequently, chemical composition analyses (GC-MS) were performed on the 10 species with the highest biological activity identified. The results clearly demonstrate the significant biological activity of the selected Phellinus species, particularly their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, highlighting their potential for health-related applications and suggesting that further studies of their bioactive compounds are recommended. Funding The research was carried out as part of research work WZ/WB-INL/2/2025 of the Białystok University of Technology and financed from the 2025 subsidy provided by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany