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. 2023 Mar 9;12(6):1251.
doi: 10.3390/plants12061251.

Bioactive Extracts from Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods Biorefinery as a Source of Ingredients for High-Value Industries

Laura Sini Sofia Hulkko  1 , Rui Miranda Rocha  2 , Riccardo Trentin  3 , Malthe Fredsgaard  1 , Tanmay Chaturvedi  1 , Luísa Custódio  4 , Mette Hedegaard Thomsen  1
Affiliations

Bioactive Extracts from Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods Biorefinery as a Source of Ingredients for High-Value Industries

Laura Sini Sofia Hulkko et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

Salt-tolerant plants, also known as halophytes, could provide a novel source of feedstock for biorefineries. After harvesting fresh shoots for food, the lignified fraction of Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods could be used to produce bioactive botanical extracts for high-value industries such as nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and biopharmaceuticals. The residual fraction after extraction can be further used for bioenergy or lignocellulose-derived platform chemicals. This work analysed S. ramosissima from different sources and growth stages. After pre-processing and extractions, the obtained fractions were analysed for their contents of fatty acids, pigments, and total phenolics. Extracts were also evaluated for their in vitro antioxidant properties and inhibitory effect towards enzymes related to diabetes, hyperpigmentation, obesity, and neurogenerative diseases. The ethanol extract from the fibre residue and the water extract from completely lignified plants showed the highest concentration of phenolic compounds along with the highest antioxidant potential and enzyme-inhibitory properties. Hence, they should be further explored in the context of biorefinery.

Keywords: antioxidants; biomedicines; biorefinery; enzyme inhibition; halophytes; nutraceuticals; phytochemicals; pigments; sustainability.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Origin of Salicornia ramosissima biomass batches and considered fractions and botanical extracts.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Antioxidant activity [%] of extracts from S. ramosissima at the concentration of 10 mg/mL in relation to blank samples with extraction solvent determined by assays with radical-based antioxidant mechanisms. DPPH: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ABTS: 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), NO: nitric oxide. EC50 values [mg/mL] are presented in callout boxes for Salicornia samples with activity more than 50%. The standard compound is gallic acid (1 mg/mL). Different letters denote significantly different results, calculated individually for the results from each assay and for all assays (p < 0.001).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Antioxidant activity [%] of extracts from S. ramosissima at the concentration of 10 mg/mL in relation to blank samples with extraction solvent determined by assays with metal-based antioxidant mechanisms. FRAP: ferric reducing antioxidant power, ICA: iron chelating activity, CCA: copper chelating activity. EC50 values [mg/mL] are presented in callout boxes for Salicornia samples with activity more than 50%. The standard compound is ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (1 mg/mL). Different letters denote significantly different results, calculated individually for the results from each assay and for all assays (p < 0.001).
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