HPLC-DAD profiling, enzyme inhibitory, antihemolytic, and photoprotective activities of Limonium delicatulum leaf extract

Abstract

Limonium delicatulum is a halophyte that synthesizes high levels of various secondary metabolites in response to abiotic stress and therefore can be a valuable source of different bio-active compounds. The leaf extract of L. delicatulum was analyzed for its phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD and evaluated for its inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), α-glucosidase, α-amylase, urease, and lipase. The protective effect on oxidative hemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes as well as its photoprotective action have also been investigated. HPLC analysis led to the identification of five phenolic compounds including salvianolic acid B (14.8 mg/g of extract) followed by polydatin (extract 4.0 mg/g of extract). The extract showed strong inhibitory actions on AChE, BChE, α-glucosidase, α-amylase and urease close to or even better than those shown by the standards with IC50 values of 5.94 ± 0.54, 11.68 ± 0.35, 30.17 ± 0.65, 22.74 ± 0.54, and 10.23 ± 087 μg/mL, respectively, while it was inactive against lipase. In addition, an important reduction in the rate of lysis of erythrocytes was observed (with a percentage of 89.18 ± 0.95%) after treatment with leaf extract at the concentration of 200 μg/mL. Finally, an SPF value of 35.5 ± 0.90 was recorded with the leaf extract. These results confirm that L. delicatulum can be of great importance in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics.