Wild edible fool’s watercress, a potential crop with high nutraceutical properties

Abstract

BackgroundFool’s watercress (Apium nodiflorum) is an edible vegetable with potential as a new crop. However, little information is available regarding the antioxidant properties of the plant and the individual phenolics accounting for this capacity are unknown.MethodsThe antioxidant properties of twenty-five wild populations were analysed and individual phenolics present in the species reported and compared with celery and parsley. The antioxidant activity was measured as the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging capacity, and the total phenolics content (TPC) via the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure. The individual phenolics constituents were determined via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as aglycones.ResultsThe average DPPH and TPC of fool’s watercress were 28.1 mg Trolox g−1 DW and 22.3 mg of chlorogenic acid equivalents g−1 DW, respectively, much higher than those of celery and parsley. Significant differences for both DPPH and TPC, which may be explained by either genotype or environmental factors, were detected among groups established according to geographical origin. Quercetin was identified as the major phenolic present in the leaves of the species, unlike parsley and celery, in which high amounts of apigenin and luteolin were determined. Quercetin represented 61.6% of the phenolics targeted in fool’s watercress, followed by caffeic acid derivatives as main hydroxycinnamic acids.DiscussionThe study reports the high antioxidant properties of fool’s watercress based on a large number of populations. Results suggest that quercetin accounts for an important share of the antioxidant capacity of this potential new crop. The study also provides a basis for future breeding programs, suggesting that selection by geographical locations may result in differences in the antioxidant properties.

The Power of Wild Plants in Feeding Humanity: A Meta-Analytic Ethnobotanical Approach in the Catalan Linguistic Area

“…For instance, see the information on this subject regarding Portulaca oleracea , not included in the dictionary, in the section on markets and industrialised products of Section 3.6 . Just to give a few more examples of plants not present in the dictionary, Guijarro-Real et al [ 108 ] report nutraceutical properties for Apium nodiflorum , and propose it as a potential new crop, an interesting activity against intestinal parasites has been reported for Origanum virens [ 109 ], used as a condiment, and a position as a commercial spice is proposed for Crithmum maritimum , after describing a chemical composition compatible with nutraceutical properties [ 110 ]. These medicinal properties provide WFP with an added value for their local consumption that may be used in the development of new, healthy food.…”

Growing Conditions Affect the Phytochemical Composition of Edible Wall Rocket (Diplotaxis erucoides)

“…The content of total phenolics (TP) was determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure [34] as in Guijarro-Real et al [35]. For that, 0.125 g of lyophilised material was extracted with 5 mL of acetone 70% (v/v) containing acetic acid 0.5% (v/v) for 24 h under continuous stirring.…”

Large scale phenotyping and molecular analysis in a germplasm collection of rocket salad (Eruca vesicaria) reveal a differentiation of the gene pool by geographical origin

“…Total phenolics content was determined in three independent replicates per accession according to the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure (Singleton and Rossi, 1965) as indicated in Guijarro-Real et al (2019). For each replicate, 125 mg of lyophilised powder were extracted with 5 mL of 70% (v/v) acetone containing 0.5% (v/v) glacial acetic acid, for 24 h under continuous stirring.…”