Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles by Pleurotus (oyster mushroom) and their bioactivity: Review

Abstract

The oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sp.) is one of the most important edible and medicinal mushrooms because it contains a variety of effective compounds. In recent years, metallic nanoparticles, especially silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), have been produced in a green method from different organic matters of fungi especially Pleurotus sp. The oyster mushroom occupied first among macrofungi in the production of nanoparticles and their applications. AgNPs were the most common among the other types of metallic nanoparticles which synthesized from this mushroom. Properties of these AgNPs showed spherical particles with crystalline nature and average sizes ranged from 2 to 100 nm. AgNPs also exhibited inhibitory effects against many pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and yeasts as well as cancer and was used to remove textile dyes. The importance of this mushroom is coming from the quantity and size of the produced fruit bodies and their bioactive materials which used as natural precursors to reduce silver ions into Ag atoms. P. ostreatus, P. florida, and P. sajor caju are the most widely used in the synthesis of AgNPs respectively and there are more than 70 other species that have not been studied in this regard. This is the first review to discuss the production of nano-silver of different species of oyster mushroom for more than ten years from 2007 to 2019 because they are new studies in the field of nanotechnology. This green production is non-toxic, cheap, easily-forming and eco-friendly and has many future prospects in the application on various medical and industrial fields.