Phenolic Profile, Toxicity, Enzyme Inhibition, In Silico Studies, and Antioxidant Properties of Cakile maritima Scop. (Brassicaceae) from Southern Portugal.

Chloé Placines,Eulogio J Llorent-Martínez,Maria João Rodrigues,And Luísa Custódio,Adriano Mollica,Azzurra Stefanucci,Paula C Castilho,Catarina G Pereira,Viana Castañeda-Loaiza,Gokhan Zengin

doi:10.3390/plants9020142

Abstract

Cakile maritima Scop. (sea rocket) is an edible halophyte plant with several ethnomedicinal uses. This work reports the chemical profile and bioactivities of food grade extracts from sea rocket organs. Toxicity was determined on mammalian cells, and phenolic profiling and the quantitation of the main metabolites were made by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Enzymatic inhibition was determined towards acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase (AChE, BuChE), α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and tyrosinase. Docking studies were performed to tyrosinase, on the major metabolites, and samples were tested for antioxidant properties. Extracts were not toxic, were constituted mainly by flavonoids, and some compounds (roseoside and oleuropein) are here described for the first time in the species. The aerial organs’ ethanol extract had relevant activity towards 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH, half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 0.59 mg/mL], and ferric-reducing activity power (FRAP, IC50 = 0.99 mg/mL). All samples were more active towards AChE than on BuChE. The ethanol fruits’ extract inhibited α-glucosidase [2.19 mmol of equivalent of acarbose (ACAE)/g]. Samples were active against tyrosinase, especially the aerial organs’ ethanol extracts [25.9 mg of equivalent of kojic acid (KAE)/g]. Quercetin and kaempferol glycosides fit well into the enzymatic pocket of tyrosinase. Our results suggest sea rocket as a candidate to be further explored as a source of bioactive products.

Highlights

Research on bioactive natural products has focused mainly in marine organisms, such as microand macro-algae and marine invertebrates, and in terrestrial glycophyte plants
This work used ethanol, acetone, and water to obtain natural extracts from dried biomass of fruits and aerial vegetative organs from sea rocket plants collected in Southern Portugal
Despite the theoretical concept that natural products are safer than synthetic counterparts, it is well known that plants may contain toxic molecules

Summary

Introduction

Research on bioactive natural products has focused mainly in marine organisms, such as microand macro-algae and marine invertebrates, and in terrestrial glycophyte plants. Halophytes, which are naturally salt-tolerant plants, represent about 2% of terrestrial plant species and are present in about half the higher plant families. They exhibit a high diversity of plant forms and are currently. Syria regions [1,4,5] These uses are wide and include, for example, the treatment of pain, fever, liver and digestive disorders, skin, respiratory, genito-urinary conditions, microbial and parasitic infections, inflammation, dermatitis, wounds, and burns [1,4,5]. (sea rocket) is an edible halophytic succulent annual herb of the Brassicaceae (mustard) family. It is widespread throughout the world in sandy coastal regions, from northern

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