Use of agricultural waste for optimization of protease production by Pleurotus djamor and evaluation of its anthelmintic activity.

Pleurotus djamor is an edible mushroom that produces proteases. However, the production of these enzymes needs to be optimized and applied in experimental models. This study aimed to optimize the production of proteases by Pleurotus djamor using agricultural waste and to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of proteases in vitro. Solid-state fermentation optimized protease production, with wheat bran as the substrate. For this, the central composite design (CCD) was used. The proteolytic activity was determined after the preparation of the cell-free crude extract. In addition, eggs of the helminths Taenia solium and Moniezia sp. were used to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic activity of the proteases. The results showed that moisture significantly influenced (p < 0.01) protease production. On the other hand, within the evaluated intervals, the incubation time was non-significant (p > 0.05). The enzymes led to a significant reduction (p < 0.01) in T. solium and Moniezia sp. eggs, with reductions of 33.44% and 45.43%, respectively, compared to the control with denatured enzymes. The results suggest the action of proteases in the degradation of helminth eggs, demonstrating their potential for biochemistry control.