Modification of Fatty Acid, Essential Oil and Phenolic Contents of Salt‐Treated Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) According to Developmental Stage

Abstract

Variation in the composition of Origanum majorana L. essential oil (EO) and fatty acids were studied under salt treatment. Plant material has been harvested at 2 phenological stages: early vegetative stage (EVS) and late vegetative stage (LVS) or prefloral. Our results showed that the application of 75 mM NaCl increased total lipid contents in marjoram shoots and caused great qualitative changes in the fatty acids profiles. NaCl treatment reduced and stimulated the EO yields, respectively, at EVS and LVS and induced quantitative changes in the chemical EO composition in shoots. Phenolic contents were higher during the LVS than EVS in the absence and the presence of salt. Under control conditions, RP-HPLC analysis of the methanolic extract of marjoram dried shoots showed a predominance of flavonoid during the EVS whereas phenolic acids predominated during the LVS. However, under 75 mM NaCl, we noted a predominance of flavonoid at LVS and constant levels of phenolic and flavonoid classes at the EVS. For control treatment and at both EVS and LVS, the main components identified were respectively rosmarinic acid gallic as phenolic acids and amentoflavone as flavonoid. In the presence of salt and at the EVS, we observed a significant increase in trans-2 hydrocinnamic, gallic acid and quercetin-3-galactoside contents. However, for the LVS, salt induced a stimulation of gallic acid, apigenin, and amentoflavone. Our results showed that LVS had the highest contents of bioactive compounds, and could be considered as the best stage for harvesting marjoram plants. Practical Application: In this study, the fatty acid composition, essential oil, and phenolic content of Origanum majorana were investigated. This is important for potential application of marjoram as functional food at the late vegetative stage. The richness of O. majorana in volatile and phenolic active compounds known for their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and insecticidal activities could support the utilization of this plant in a large field of application including cosmetic, pharmaceutical, agro alimentary, and biological defense.

Characterization of the phenolic and antioxidant profiles of selected culinary herbs and spices: caraway, turmeric, dill, marjoram and nutmeg

“…These levels of ferulic acid were lower than those of another study on marjoram (Baâtour et al, 2012), which ranged between 6.39 µg/g DW and 37.57 µg/g DW.…”

“…Shan et al (2005) detected protocatechuic acid in sweet basil, dill, star anise and coriander, but not in caraway and nutmeg, while other results in the literature show that protocatechuic acid is not always present in marjoram and turmeric (Papageorgiou et al, 2008;Baâtour et al, 2012). We also found the highest syringic acid levels in marjoram (4.62 µg/g DW), where it has been detected previously (Baâtour et al, 2012). Kivilompolo et al (2007) found less than 50 µg/g DW syringic acid in thyme, with undetectable levels in the other herb extracts analyzed.…”

“…Quercetin has been previously detected in rosemary, oregano, sage, bay, thyme (Hossain et al, 2010) and marjoram (Baâtour et al, 2012), but not in nutmeg, dill, caraway and turmeric (Shan et al, 2005).…”

“…Baâtour et al (2012) reported both phenolic compounds in marjoram (7.2-177 µg/g DW catechin and 51-78 µg/g DW epicatechin). In contrast to our results, Shan et al (2005) identified catechin in dill, sage, rosemary, mint and cinnamon but not in caraway.…”

How Salt Stress Represses the Biosynthesis of Marrubiin and Disturbs the Antioxidant Activity of Marrubium Vulgare L

“…However, this trend is contradictory to that observed in cucumber [46], Carthamus tinctorius [47,48], Salvia officinalis [30], and Origanum majorana , Zn 2+ contents (µg/g DW) of M. vulgare subjected to different NaCl concentrations (0, 25, 50 and 100 mM) during 5 months. [49]. In the present study, the decrease in TPC could be ascribed to decreased activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL: the first enzyme of the phenylpropanoid pathway that catalyzes the elimination of NH 3 from L-phenylalanine to produce trans-cinnamate) probably due to the accumulation of toxic levels of Na + and Cl -.…”