So far, few compounds of Agaricus bisporus (e.g., lectin, unsaturated fatty acids and polysaccharides) have been identified to exert in vitro or in vivo anti-cancer activities; therefore, further research is required to identify more bioactive compounds. The main aim of the present study was in vitro evaluation of the anti-cancer potential of A. bisporus extracts and fractions. In addition, several wild-growing species of A. bisporus including A. devoniensis, A. gennadii and a wild brown isolate of A. bisporus were investigated for their possible anti-cancer activities. Anti-proliferative and cytotoxic properties of methanol-dichloromethane (1:1) crude extracts were tested on PC3 and MCF-7 cells. The results revealed that A. bisporus at 500 μg/ml concentration had significant effects on PC3 (46%) and MCF-7 (40%) proliferation, while no significant anti-proliferation was observed in the extracts of other mushrooms. Four different fractions of A. bisporus extracts were separated, using a solvent polarity gradient in column chromatography. One of the fractions, eluted with the mixture of ethyl acetate in petroleum ether (40:60), exhibited potent anti-proliferative activities, as well as cytotoxicity in both PC3 and MCF- 7 cells, even at a low concentration (125 μg/ml). Flame ionization detector for gas chromatography, as well as fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, showed no fatty acids in the fractions. The obtained data in this study illustrated the anti-cancer potential of mycochemicals present in the mushroom fractions in vitro. Therefore, the present study indicates the need for further chemical analysis and investigations.

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