Comparative GC-MS profiling, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Trametes (Lenzites) warnieri and Ganoderma multipileum from Karak, Pakistan

Medicinal mushrooms are vital and unexplored sources of novel bioactive compounds.This study was conducted to investigate the metabolites and evaluate the bioactivities of two polypore mushrooms, Trametes (Lenzites) warnieri (T.(L.) warnieri) and Ganoderma multipileum (G.multipileum), collected from Karak, Pakistan, to assess their potential for pharmacological applications.Methanolic extracts were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), revealing distinct metabolite profiles.T. warnieri was dominated by linoleic acid methyl ester (72.91%), while G. multipileum exhibited a diverse profile with oleic acid (27.80%) as the major constituent.Antioxidant activity, evaluated through the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, was highest for G. multipileum (76.55% inhibition), followed by T. warnieri (60%) and an ascorbic acid standard (46%).Antimicrobial screening against bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) and fungal (Candida albicans) pathogens showed that both extracts possessed inhibitory effects, with G. multipileum showing slightly higher activity (e.g., a 14 mm zone of inhibition against E. coli).The results confirm the significant pharmacological potential of these underexplored species.This study will benefit the scientific community by providing novel chemical and bioactivity data for these species and highlights their value as promising natural sources of antioxidants and antimicrobials for future drug discovery and nutraceutical development, with positive implications for public health.