Exploring seeds of Tamarix africana Poir as a source of bioactive natural products

Tamarix africana Poir is an invasive salt tolerant plant (halophyte) with medicinal uses towards gastric and duodenal diseases. The commercial use of invasive species is one of the possible strategies for their control, as already applied to some macroalgae species. In this context, and having in mind existing information regarding Tamarix species, we evaluated the antioxidant activity of a decoction, infusion and tincture of seeds of T. africana (radical scavenging of DPPH and ABTS, chelating activity of iron: ICA, and copper: CCA, and iron reducing antioxidant power: FRAP), antidiabetic potential through inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes, and for total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Tincture was the most active sample with the following IC₅₀ values: DPPH = 0.167 mg/mL, ABTS = 0.241 mg/mL, FRAP = 0.080 mg/mL; CCA: 0.255 mg/mL; α-glucosidase: 0.125 mg/mL. Tincture had the highest phenolic content (349 mg GAE/g extract), while the infusion showed the highest flavonoid level (52.7 mg QE/g extract). Our results suggest that natural products from T. africana seeds may hold potential in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries. Future studies are in progress targeting the ex vivo evaluation of relevant properties and chemical characterization of the active samples.

The authors declares that there is no conflict of interest.

Funding

Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), and the Portuguese National Budget funding (UIDB/04 326/2020 and PTDC/BAA-AGR/1391/2020 projects), Fundo Azul (FA-05-2017-028) and PRIMA (HaloFarMs project). LC was sustained by FCT Scientific Employment Stimulus (CEECIND/00 425/2017), and V C – L by a FCT PhD grant (2020.04 541.BD).

 

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Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
12. Dezember 2022