THEIN VITROFREE RADICAL-SCAVENGING AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF THE MEDICINAL HERBLIMONIUM ECHIOIDESL. GROWING WILD IN TUNISIA

Abstract

The petroleum ether, chloroformic, ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts of Limonium echioides L. (Plumbaginaceae) were screened for their antioxidant and antifungal activities through in vitro experiments. The 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS•+) decolorization and 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) free radical‐scavenging method were used. All extracts were active with radical‐scavenging capacity reaching 100% in DPPH• reaction system and 85.6% in ABTS•+ reaction at the used concentrations. Methanolic extract was found to possess the highest free radical‐scavenging effects in both assays. An important correlation between antioxidant capacities and total phenolic contents of the polar extracts was found. The gallic acid, identified in this plant, seemed to be active against both radicals DPPH• and ABTS•+. The mycelium growth inhibition method was used for the antifungal testing. Ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts of L. echioides showed antifungal activities against Fusarium oxysporum and Penicillium sp. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS This study may prove to be beneficial in the exploitation of natural antioxidant and antifungal sources, containing a large amount of phenolics, for the preservation and/or extension of the shelf life of raw and processed foods. Then, this could also be applied in the area of pharmaceuticals for the protection of human life.

Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of a Halophyte from the Asturian Coast (Spain): Limonium binervosum (G.E.Sm.) C.E.Salmon

“…Radcl.-Sm. [47], L. echioides [48], L. densiflorum [37], L. delicatulum [36], L. myrianthum, L. leptophyllum and L. gmelinii [49], but not for L. binervosum, so direct efficacy comparisons are not possible.…”

“…Concerning the antifungal activity of Limonium spp., a low antifungal activity was reported for L. echioides (against Fusarium oxysporum and Penicillium sp. [48]), for L. avei (against Candida albicans [46]), and for L. densiflorum and L. delicatilum (against Candida spp. [36,37]).…”

Harnessing sediments of coastal aquaculture ponds through technosols construction for halophyte cultivation using saline water irrigation

“…Halophytes Limonium spp. (Plumbaginaceae, sea lavenders) are found in coastal areas all over the world (Kubitzki, 1993) and produce metabolites with diverse bioactivities (Lee et al, 2011;Saidana et al, 2013). Limonium algarvense Erben is an Iberian-Moroccan endemism (Caperta et al, 2017) valued source of antioxidants with potential applications in the agro-food industry (Rodrigues et al, 2015).…”

An ecological approach to discover new bioactive extracts and products: the case of extremophile plants

“…Our findings are in agreement with the literature. In fact, several Limonium species are known to be rich in tannins Siddhuraju et al . reported that a high concentration of tannins increased the free radical DPPH scavenging capacity.…”