Abstract
Phenolics are important mediators in plant-environment interactions. The presence and concentration of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity were evaluated in leaves and flowers of a set of Trifolium species originating from contrasting environments encompassing lowland and mountain sites. The current germplasm proved a great reservoir of phenolic compounds, with different chemical structure and, possibly, diversified biological activity. Germplasm groups with specific phenolic composition were observed. In some cases, different patterns bore a taxonomic meaning. Lowland germplasm showed higher concentration of total phenolics in leaves than mountain accessions (50.30 vs. 34.19 mg/g dry matter (DM)), while the latter had higher concentration in flowers (114.16 vs. 57.44 mg/g DM). Outstanding concentration of isoflavones was observed in leaves of lowland germplasm (24.19 mg/g DM), and of both proanthocyanidins and flavonoids in flowers of mountain germplasm (53.81 and 56.62 mg/g DM, respectively). The pattern of phenolic composition in lowland and mountain germplasm was suggestive of different adaptive strategies. Three assays of antioxidant activity were tested, which were characterised by rather different reactivity towards phenolic composition. The scavenging activity was higher for leaf extracts of lowland germplasm, and for flower extracts of mountain germplasm. Besides identifying germplasm of interest, this study also suggested possible links between environmental factors and concentration and composition of phenolic compounds.
Highlights
The genus Trifolium includes a large array of species
Besides being rich in proteins, Trifolium species have been reported to contain a wealth of biologically active secondary metabolites [7], of which phenolic compounds are one of the main classes
Flavonoids are an important class of phenolics that includes compound groups such as flavones, flavonols and isoflavones, all characterized by a phenylbenzopyran chemical structure [8]
Summary
The genus Trifolium includes a large array of species. Some of them represent very important forage crops worldwide, such as white clover (T. repens L.), and red clover (T. pratense L.) [1,2]. Flavonoids are an important class of phenolics that includes compound groups such as flavones, flavonols and isoflavones, all characterized by a phenylbenzopyran chemical structure [8]. The role of flavonoids and other phenolic compounds as protective dietary constituents (nutraceuticals) with their antioxidant capacity has become an increasingly important area of research [12]. Isoflavones are a group of flavonoids typical of some legume species only They exhibit estrogenic activity and represent the main phytoestrogens of current interest as nutraceuticals and dietary supplements [15,16]. The current study evaluated the presence and concentration of phenolic compounds, as well as their antioxidant activity in a set of Trifolium species originating from different. The main objectives of this investigation were to identify germplasm of interest as potential source of phenolic metabolites, in view of their possible exploitation for medical/nutraceutical purposes, and to assess any possible role of the environment on the phenolic composition of the species
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
