Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Limonium algarvense Erben (sea lavender) is a halophyte species with potential to provide natural ingredients
with in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and antidiabetic properties. This study reports for
the first time the 1) cultivation of sea lavender in greenhouse conditions under irrigation with freshwater (approx.
0mM NaCl) and saline aquaculture wastewater (300 and 600mM NaCl), and 2) the influence of the
irrigation salinity on the plant performance (e.g. growth, number of produced leaves and flowers), in vitro antioxidant
properties [radical scavenging activity (DPPH and ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP),
metal chelating properties on copper (CCA) and iron (ICA)], toxicity (in vitro on three mammalian cell lines) and
chemical composition (determined by LC-ESI-HRMS/MS). The freshwater-irrigated plants had better growth
performance than those irrigated with saltwater. Extracts from wild plants, had the highest antioxidant activity,
but those from cultivated ones kept high in vitro antioxidant properties and interesting chemical profile. The
flowers’ extracts of plants irrigated with 300mM NaCl had the highest antioxidant activities against DPPH,
whereas those from freshwater-irrigated plants were more active on ABTS, CCA and FRAP. Most of the extracts
showed nil toxicity. The flowers’ extracts displayed the highest diversity of compounds, mainly quercetin,
apigenin, luteolin, naringenin and their glycoside derivatives. Moreover, their abundance varied with the irrigation
salinity. These data indicate that sea lavender plants can be successfully cultivated in greenhouse conditions
under fresh- and saltwater irrigation, maintaining interesting biological and chemical properties
Description
Keywords
aquaculture wastewater dietary supplements halophyte cultivation phenolic compounds sea lavender
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Industrial Crops & Products 143 (2020) 111930
Publisher
Elsevier