Special issue on advances in marine biotechnology: exploitation of Halophyte plants

Halophyte (salt tolerant) plants encompass roughly 1% of the world’s plant species that can thrive in a multitude of saline biotopes, where glycophytes (non-salt tolerant) cannot [1,2]. They are highly resistant to the abiotic constraints characteristic of saline ecosystems, such as salinity, drought, extreme temperatures, and UV radiation, having evolved specialized morphological and physiological adaptations in response to the challenges of living in such harsh conditions [1,3]. The response mechanisms to handle abiotic stress include the synthesis and accumulation of bioactive metabolites, like phenolic compounds, terpenoids, vitamins, etc. These molecules are usually powerful antioxidants but can display other biological activities such as enzyme inhibition, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, and antitumoral activities, among others, thus granting halophytes with potential biotechnological applications for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industriesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chemical and biological characterization of halophyte plants with ethnopharmacological use in the Algarve coast

This work aimed to investigate the potential of medicinal halophytes as sources of bioactive compounds with health-promoting properties, while validating their traditional uses and searching for new bioactivities/applications. Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that survive in extreme biotopes and, to cope with environmental stress, are equipped with powerful defence mechanisms, including highly bioactive compounds. Several medicinal halophytes are used in folk therapeutics but, despite their ethnopharmacological importance, are still underexplored. This study focused on five medicinal halophytes from southern Portugal, namely Artemisia campestris L. subsp. maritima Arcangeli (dune wormwood), Crithmum maritimum L. (sea fennel), Eryngium maritimum L. (sea holly), Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G.Don subsp. picardii (Boiss&Reuter) Franco (everlasting), and Plantago coronopus L. (buckshorn plantain). Water and organic extracts were prepared from different plant organs, assessed for in vitro antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-hyperpigmentation and anti-protozoan activities, and chemically characterized. The large majority of the extracts have high polyphenolic content and are a potentially good source of these bioactive phytochemicals. They presented a wide diversity of phenolics, especially coumaric, ferulic, syringic, chlorogenic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids. Minerals were also analysed, and some species may have a nutritional role as mineral supplementary source, particularly sea fennel for macronutrients and dune wormwood for microelements. A preliminary toxicological assessment showed that extracts had overall low toxicity. As for bioactivities, results confirm the strong in vitro antioxidant capacity of the extracts. Everlasting, dune wormwood and sea holly also showed anti-diabetic activity, while dune wormwood had additional anti-hyperpigmentation capacity, and sea fennel had activity against Trypanosoma cruzi. In conclusion, all halophytes can be useful sources of antioxidants to potentially help prevent oxidative-stress related diseases, while everlasting, dune wormwood and sea holly may additionally help control glucose levels. Dune wormwood is also a prospective source of compounds to prevent skin darkening and sea fennel may provide effective anti-T. cruzi molecule(s).Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal explorar o potencial de plantas halófilas medicinais enquanto fontes de compostos bioativos com aplicação terapêutica, e ao mesmo tempo validar os seus usos na “medicina” popular e procurar novas bioatividades e / ou aplicações. As plantas halófilas possuem uma elevada tolerância ao sal e completam o seu ciclo de vida em biótopos extremos, tais como zonas costeiras de influência salina. Para resistirem ao stress ambiental, estão equipadas com poderosos mecanismos de defesa que incluem a produção de compostos altamente bioativos, cujas atividades biológicas poderão ajudar a explicar a utilização de algumas destas plantas como remédios populares e para alimentação humana (e animal). De facto, inúmeras plantas halófilas são utilizadas no tratamento de várias doenças e infeções, principalmente em áreas rurais onde as plantas medicinais ainda são uma importante fonte terapêutica. No entanto, estas plantas são pouco exploradas e são também poucas as descrições das suas bioatividades, apesar da sua importância etnofarmacológica. Na região do Algarve (sul de Portugal), poucas espécies têm sido estudadas apesar do seu potencial conteúdo em moléculas bioativas. Assim, com o intuito de expandir o nosso conhecimento acerca das possíveis propriedades terapêuticas e promotoras de saúde e bem-estar deste tipo de plantas, este trabalho estudou cinco plantas halófilas medicinais comuns no Algarve, escolhidas pelos seus usos medicinais e potenciais atividades biológicas, nomeadamente Artemisia campestris L. subsp. maritima Arcangeli (madorneira), Crithmum maritimum L. (funcho marítimo), Eryngium maritimum L. (cardo marítimo), Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G.Don subsp. picardii (Boiss&Reuter) Franco (perpétua das areias) e Plantago coronopus L. (diabelha). O objetivo foi desvendar o seu potencial enquanto fontes de compostos e / ou extratos bioativos com aplicações terapêuticas, cosméticas e / ou nutricionais. Para tal, à semelhança de preparações tradicionais, foram preparados extratos aquosos e / ou orgânicos de diferentes órgãos (raízes, caules, folhas e / ou flores), e avaliados quanto às suas atividades antioxidante, antidiabética, anti-hiperpigmentação e anti-protozoária in vitro. Adicionalmente, para o funcho marítimo, cardo marítimo e perpétua das areias, os extratos foram estudados na sua dose de ingestão tradicional, i.e., usando a medida “chávena-de-chá” (e também a medida “gotas”, no caso das tinturas do cardo), para analisar as plantas duma perspetiva de utilização medicinal típica. Os extratos foram ainda caracterizados quimicamente. Os extratos foram caracterizados em relação aos compostos fitoquímicos presentes por métodos espectrofotométricos para determinar o seu conteúdo em fenólicos totais (TPC), para além do conteúdo em outros grupos fenólicos (flavonóides totais, taninos condensados, etc.). Em geral, todos os extratos analisados têm um elevado conteúdo polifenólico e são, potencialmente, boas fontes destes compostos fitoquímicos bioativos. De um modo geral, os extratos da perpétua das areias tiveram o maior conteúdo em fenólicos totais, seguidos pelos extratos da madorneira, enquanto que o cardo marítimo teve o mais baixo TPC. De notar que, globalmente, os órgãos aéreos (folhas e flores) de todas as plantas mostraram ter conteúdos fenólicos mais elevados do que os restantes órgãos. Os extratos foram ainda caracterizados por Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência (HPLC) ou por Ultra-HPLC para determinar o seu perfil polifenólico e outros compostos tentativamente identificáveis. Foi encontrada uma grande diversidade de fenólicos nestas plantas halófilas, sendo os mais abundantes: verbascósido e luteolina-7-O-glucosídeo na diabelha, ácidos clorogénico, neo- e cripto-clorogénico no funcho marítimo, ácidos quínico e clorogénico na perpétua das areias e na madorneira, e carvacrol e naringenina no cardo marítimo. Os compostos fenólicos mais comuns foram os ácidos fenólicos, com uma ligeira prevalência dos ácidos hidroxicinâmicos. Os ácidos cumárico e ferúlico foram identificados nas cinco plantas, e os ácidos p-hidroxibenzoico, siríngico e clorogénico estavam presentes em pelo menos quatro das espécies. O conteúdo em minerais foi também analisado nos extratos das folhas da diabelha e dos órgãos do funcho marítimo, cardo marítimo e madorneira. O sódio foi o elemento mais abundante encontrado, e os outros minerais estavam presentes em valores representativos de uma pequena porção da ingestão diária recomendada para adultos. De um modo geral, os resultados salientaram um possível papel nutricional destas plantas enquanto fonte mineral suplementar, particularmente o funcho marítimo para os macronutrientes e a madorneira para os micronutrientes. Foi efetuada também uma avaliação toxicológica preliminar aos extratos do funcho marítimo, madorneira e perpétua das areias, através da sua capacidade para diminuir a viabilidade de diferentes linhas celulares. Os extratos apresentaram, de um modo geral, baixa toxicidade. Os extratos foram também analisados quanto a propriedades antioxidante, antidiabética e anti-hiperpigmentação, através de uma bateria de ensaios para testar in vitro atividades de captação de radicais e de quelação de metais, capacidade de inibição de enzimas digestivas e de inibição da tirosinase, respetivamente. As decocções, tinturas e óleos essenciais da perpétua das areias e do funcho marítimo, foram também testados in vitro para a atividade antiprotozoária contra Trypanosoma cruzi, o agente causativo da doença de Chagas. Os extratos da perpétua das areias e da madorneira detiveram a maior capacidade antioxidante, seguidas pelos do funcho marítimo; contudo, os extratos do cardo marítimo demonstraram a mais potente atividade quelante do ferro. Os extratos da perpétua, madorneira e cardo revelaram ainda atividade antidiabética, apesar de apenas os do cardo serem capazes de inibir todas as enzimas hidrolisantes de hidratos de carbono; contudo, os extratos da madorneira foram os mais eficientes a inibir a α-glucosidase, mais ainda que o controlo positivo (acarbose). Apenas os extratos da madorneira apresentaram capacidade de inibir a tirosinase. O extrato aquoso do funcho marítimo foi o mais ativo e seletivo contra T. cruzi. De um modo geral, os resultados confirmaram a forte capacidade antioxidante in vitro dos extratos, evidenciando que todas as cinco plantas halófilas podem ser úteis como fontes de moléculas ou produtos antioxidantes e, como tal, poderão ajudar a prevenir doenças relacionadas com stress oxidativo. O potencial antidiabético dos extratos da perpétua das areias, da madorneira e do cardo marítimo podem ainda auxiliar no controlo dos níveis de glucose, ajudando pacientes com diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Por outro lado, os extratos da madorneira são também possíveis fontes de compostos para prevenção / tratamento de hiperpigmentação da pele, enquanto que os do funcho marítimo poderão ser fontes de moléculas anti-T. cruzi. No geral e em conclusão, o resultado deste trabalho demonstra que as cinco espécies de plantas halófilas estudadas são prospectivamente boas candidatas a serem utilizadas como alimento (as folhas da diabelha, por exemplo), em bebidas à base de plantas (como por exemplo tisanas de funcho e cardo marítimos e de perpétua das areias), como fontes de moléculas de relevo (ex.: compostos anti-T. cruzi do funcho marítimo), ou como matéria prima para as indústrias cosmética (como a madorneira para problemas de hiperpigmentação) e farmacêutica (ex.: a perpétua das areias, a madorneira e o cardo marítimo para o controlo da diabetes), e ainda para o segmento comercial de alimentos funcionais e / ou nutracêuticos (todas as cinco plantas halófilas enquanto antioxidantes potentes para prevenção de condições relacionadas com stress oxidativo). Adicionalmente, o perfil químico e atividades biológicas podem ajudar a explicar os usos tradicionais destas plantas

Halophyte plants as potential sources of Anticancer agents: a comprehensive review

Salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) are widely distributed worldwide in several environments such as coastal salt marshes, sand dunes, and inland deserts. To cope with the harsh conditions that characterize those habitats, which include high salinity and radiation levels, such plants have developed morphological and physiological traits, the latter including the synthesis and accumulation of important secondary metabolites such as alkaloids and polyphenols. While essential in maintaining plant homeostasis, these compounds are highly valued in the medical field for the treatment of several human diseases, including cancer. Cancer is one of the most life-threatening disorders worldwide, which accentuates the need to improve current cancer therapies and minimize potential adverse secondary side-effects. In this context, the pharmacological evaluation of natural compounds has attracted growing interest since nature has already provided some important anti-cancer drugs. This review compiles, for the first time, research regarding the anticancer activity of halophytes from different families, including, whenever possible, the bioactive molecules involved in such therapeutical properties along with possible mechanisms of action. The introduction section provides some pertinent information regarding cancer and a summary of the most important characteristics of halophytes. The next section gives information regarding the in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic properties of several halophyte species, grouped by families, including contents in bioactive metabolites and proposed modes of action, if possible. Lastly, the conclusion presents the most relevant metabolites and/or promising species and extracts that could be further explored in anticancer drug research.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Body image perception in people with type 2 diabetes: does perceived image match reality?

Rationale: Body image misperception and body image dissatisfaction can lead to underestimation of weight and less predisposition to weight control

Salt-tolerant plants as sources of Antiparasitic Agents for human use: A comprehensive review

Parasitic diseases, especially those caused by protozoans and helminths, such as malaria, trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, and lymphatic filariasis, are the cause of millions of morbidities and deaths every year, mainly in tropical regions. Nature has always provided valuable antiparasitic agents, and efforts targeting the identification of antiparasitic drugs from plants have mainly focused on glycophytes. However, salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) have lately attracted the interest of the scientific community due to their medicinal assets, which include antiparasitic properties. This review paper gathers the most relevant information on antiparasitic properties of halophyte plants, targeting human uses. It includes an introduction section containing a summary of some of the most pertinent characteristics of halophytes, followed by information regarding the ethnomedicinal uses of several species towards human parasitic diseases. Then, information is provided related to the antiprotozoal and anthelmintic properties of halophytes, determined by in vitro and in vivo methods, and with the bioactive metabolites that may be related to such properties. Finally, a conclusion section is presented, addressing perspectives for the sustainable exploitation of selected species.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The medicinal halophyte frankenia laevis l. (Sea Heath) has in vitro antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase inhibition, and cytotoxicity towards hepatocarcinoma cells

This work explored the medicinal halophyte Frankenia laevis L. (sea heath) as a potential source of bioactive natural products. In this sense, methanol and dichloromethane extracts were prepared from aerial organs containing flowers, leaves and stems, and were profiled for their chemical composition using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The extracts were evaluated for their in vitro antioxidant capacity using five complementary methods: enzyme inhibitory effects on enzymes related with neurodegeneration (acetyl (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE)), Type 2 diabetes (α-glucosidase and α-amylase), hyperpigmentation/food oxidation (tyrosinase), and cytotoxicity towards human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells. Fifty-one molecules were identified in the extracts, including several derivatives of phenolic acids, lignans and flavonoids, monoterpenes, and hydroxylated derivatives of linoleic acid. The methanol extract was effective in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging (EC50 = 0.25 and 0.65 mg/mL, respectively), copper chelation (EC50 = 0.78 mg/mL), and iron reduction (EC50 = 0.51 mg/mL) activities, whereas the dichloromethane extract had high iron chelating ability (EC50 = 0.76 mg/mL). Both extracts showed the capacity to inhibit α-glucosidase, especially the dichloromethane (EC50 = 0.52 mg/mL). This extract also exerted a significant selective cytotoxicity towards HepG2 cells (EC50 = 52.1 µg/mL, SI > 1.9). In conclusion, extracts from the aerial parts of sea heath were shown to be a promising source of natural products for pharmaceutical and/or food additive applications due to their high antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and cytotoxic properties.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Searching for new sources of innovative products for the food industry within halophyte aromatic plants: In vitro antioxidant activity and phenolic and mineral contents of infusions and decoctions of Crithmum maritimum L.

Aromatic halophyte plants are an outstanding source of bioactive compounds and natural products with potential use in the food industry. This work reports the in vitro antioxidant activity, toxicity, poly phenolic profile and mineral contents of infusions and decoctions from stems, leaves and flowers of Crithmum maritimum L, an aromatic and edible maritime halophyte (sea fennel). Aspalathus linearis (Burm.f.) Dahlg. (rooibos) herbal tea was used as a reference. Sea fennel's tisanes, particularly from leaves, were rich in phenolic compounds and five of them (p-hydroxybenzoic and ferulic acids, epicatechin, pyrocatechol and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde) were here described in C maritimum for the first time. Chlorogenic acid was the dominant phenolic determined. Na was the most abundant mineral in all tisanes followed by Ca and Mg in leaves' tisanes and K in flowers. Sea fennel's samples had a similar antioxidant activity than those from A. linearis, and had no significant toxicity towards four different mammalian cell lines. Altogether, our results suggest that sea fennel can be a source of products and/or molecules for the food industry with antioxidant properties and minerals in the form, for example, of innovative health-promoting herbal beverages.FCT Investigator Programme [IF/00049/2012

Risk factors for metabolic bone disease in Crohn's disease patients

Background: The aim was to evaluate the presence of metabolic bone disease (MBD) in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and to identify potential etiologic factors. Methods: The case–control study included 99 patients with CD and 56 controls with a similar age and gender distribution. Both groups had dual-energy x-ray absorptionmetry and a nutritional evaluation. Single nucleotide polymorphisms at the IL1, TNF-a, LTa, and IL-6 genes were analyzed in patients only. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Results: The prevalence of MBD was significantly higher in patients (P ¼ 0.006). CD patients with osteoporosis were older (P < 0.005), small bowel involvement and surgical resections were more frequent (P < 0.005), they more often exhibited a penetrating or stricturing phenotype (P < 0.05), duration of disease over 15 years (P < 0.005), and body mass index (BMI) under 18.5 kg/m2 (P < 0.01) were more often found. No association was found with steroid use. Patients with a Z-score < 2.0 more frequently had chronic active disease (P < 0.05). With regard to diet, low vitamin K intake was more frequent (P ¼ 0.03) and intake of total, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fat was higher in patients with Z-score < 2.0 (P < 0.05). With respect to genetics, carriage of the polymorphic allele for LTa252 A/G was associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis (P ¼ 0.02). Regression analysis showed that age over 40 years, chronic active disease, and previous colonic resections were independently associated with the risk of developing MBD. Conclusions: The prevalence of MBD was significantly higher in CD patients. Besides the usual risk factors, we observed that factors related to chronic active and long-lasting disease increased the risk of MBD

New insights into the phytochemical profile and biological properties of Lycium intricatum Bois. (Solanaceae)

This work aimed to boost the valorisation of Lycium intricatum Boiss. L. as a source of high added value bioproducts. For that purpose, leaves and root ethanol extracts and fractions (chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water) were prepared and evaluated for radical scavenging activity (RSA) on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,20 -azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radicals, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and metal chelating potential against copper and iron ions. Extracts were also appraised for in vitro inhibition of enzymes implicated on the onset of neurological diseases (acetylcholinesterase: AChE and butyrylcholinesterase: BuChE), type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM, α-glucosidase), obesity/acne (lipase), and skin hyperpigmentation/food oxidation (tyrosinase). The total content of phenolics (TPC), flavonoids (TFC), and hydrolysable tannins (THTC) was evaluated by colorimetric methods, while the phenolic profile was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, coupled to a diode-array ultraviolet detector (HPLCUV-DAD). Extracts had significant RSA and FRAP, and moderate copper chelation, but no iron chelating capacity. Samples had a higher activity towards α-glucosidase and tyrosinase, especially those from roots, a low capacity to inhibit AChE, and no activity towards BuChE and lipase. The ethyl acetate fraction of roots had the highest TPC and THTC, whereas the ethyl acetate fraction of leaves had the highest flavonoid levels. Gallic, gentisic, ferulic, and trans-cinnamic acids were identified in both organs. The results suggest that L. intricatum is a promising source of bioactive compounds with food, pharmaceutical, and biomedical applications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nutritional and phyto-therapeutic value of the Halophyte Cladium mariscus L. (Pohl.): a special focus on seeds

This work searched for the phyto-therapeutic potential and nutritional value of seeds from the halophyte Cladium mariscus L. (Pohl.), aiming at its use as a source of bioactive ingredients for the food industry. Hence, the nutritional profile, including minerals, of seeds biomass was determined; food-grade samples were prepared, and their phytochemical fingerprinting assessed. Extracts were evaluated for in vitro antioxidant potential, inhibitory capacity towards enzymes related to neuroprotection, diabetes, and hyperpigmentation, and anti-inflammatory properties, along with a toxicological assessment. Sawgrass seeds can be considered a proper nutritional source with a good supply of minerals. All extracts had a high level of total phenolics (65.3–394.4 mg GAE/g DW) and showed a chemically rich and diverse profile of metabolites that have several biological properties described (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory). Extracts had no significant toxicity (cell viabilities > 80%) and were overall strong antioxidants (particularly at radical scavenging and reducing iron), effective tyrosinase inhibitors (55–71 mg KAE/g DW), showed anti-inflammatory properties (30–60% NO decrease), and had moderate capacity to inhibit enzymes related to neuroprotection (AChE 3.7–4.2, BChE 4.3–6.0 mg GALE/g DW) and diabetes (α-glucosidase 1.0–1.1, α-amylase 0.8–1.1 mmol ACAE/g). Altogether, results suggest that sawgrass seeds have the potential to be exploited as a new food product and are a reservoir of bioactive molecules with prospective applications as ingredients for value-added, functional, and/or preservative food productsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio