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. 2022 Apr 26;27(9):2768.
doi: 10.3390/molecules27092768.

Phenolic and Volatile Composition and Antioxidant Properties of the Leaf Extract of Brassica fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa (Brassicaceae) Growing Wild in Sicily (Italy)

Emilia Cavò  1 , Maria Fernanda Taviano  1 , Federica Davì  1   2 , Francesco Cacciola  3 , Yassine Oulad El Majdoub  1 , Luigi Mondello  1   4   5 , Monica Ragusa  6 , Concetta Condurso  7 , Maria Merlino  7 , Antonella Verzera  7 , Natalizia Miceli  1
Affiliations

Phenolic and Volatile Composition and Antioxidant Properties of the Leaf Extract of Brassica fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa (Brassicaceae) Growing Wild in Sicily (Italy)

Emilia Cavò et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

In continuation of research conducted on species of the spontaneous flora of Sicily (Italy) belonging to the Brassicaceae family, Brassica fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa was selected. It is an edible species utilized in Sicilian traditional medicine. In this study, for the first time, the phenolic and the volatile compounds and the antioxidant properties of the hydroalcoholic extract obtained from the leaves of B. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa were characterized. Through HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS analysis, a total of 22 polyphenolic compounds (20 flavonoids and 2 phenolic acids) were identified, with 3-hydroxiferuloylsophoroside-7-O-glucoside (1.30 mg/g ± 0.01) and kaempferol-3-O-feruloylsophoroside-7-O-glucoside (1.28 mg/g ± 0.01) as the most abundant compounds. Through SPME-GC/MS several volatiles belonging to different chemical classes were characterized, with nitriles and aldehydes accounting for more than 54% of the whole volatile fraction. The extract of B. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa showed moderate activity in the DPPH assay (IC50 = 1.65 ± 0.08 mg/mL), weak reducing power (17.47 ± 0.65 ASE/mL), and good chelating properties (IC50 = 0.38 ± 0.02 mg/mL), reaching approximately 90% activity at the highest tested concentration. Lastly, the extract was non-toxic against Artemia salina, indicating its potential safety. According to the findings, it can be stated that B. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa represents a new valuable source of bioactive compounds.

Keywords: Artemia salina Leach; Brassica fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa; antioxidant activity; edible plant; phenolic compounds; volatile compounds.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
HPLC-PDA chromatograms of the polyphenolic compounds, extracted at 330 nm wavelength, of B. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa leaf hydroalcoholic extract. For peak identification, see Table 1.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Free-radical-scavenging activity (DPPH assay) (A), reducing power (B), and ferrous ion-chelating activity (C) of B. fruticulosa subsp. fruticulosa leaf hydroalcoholic extract. Values are expressed as the mean ± SD (n = 3).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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