Planta Med 2014; 80 - P1L94
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394751

A phytochemical and biological study of eight extremophile plants from Tunisia

R Sahli 1, 2, C Rivière 1, C Neut 3, J Bero 4, A Landoulsi 1, V Roumy 1, T Hennebelle 1, J Samaillie 1, K Seron 5, J Quetin-Leclercq 4, R Ksouri 2, S Sahpaz 1
  • 1Institut Régional de Recherche en Agroalimentaire et Biotechnologie: Charles Viollette, EA1026, Université Lille 2, F-59000 Lille, France
  • 2Laboratoire des Plantes Extrêmophiles, Centre de Biotechnologie à la Technopole de Borj Cédria (CBBC), BP 901, 2050 Hammam-lif, Tunisia
  • 3UDSL, INSERM U995, UFR Pharmacie, F-59000 Lille, France
  • 4Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue E. Mounier, 72, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
  • 5Inserm U1019, CNRS UMR8204, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, Lille, France

In arid and semi-arid regions, as encountered in Tunisia, plants are often subjected to severe environmental conditions, such as salinity or drought, that strongly influence the production of some secondary metabolites involved in stress plant defence mechanism [1]. Some of them are phenolic compounds known for their interesting biological activities. These plants and natural products can be promising candidates with an important nutritional, medicinal and economic potential [2]. In this context, eight extremophile plants have been collected in different areas in Tunisia, including 3 xerophytic plants (2 Asteraceae and 1 Caprifoliaceae) and 5 halophytic plants (1 Juncaceae, 1 Poaceae, 1 Amaranthaceae, 1 Plumbaginaceae and 1 Caryophyllaceae). Different parts of these plants have been collected and crude methanolic extracts have been prepared (16 extracts in total). These extracts have been evaluated for their antiradical, antimicrobial (on 36 strains Gram + and Gram -), antiviral (hepatitis C), and cytotoxic activities (against 2 cell lines: WI38 and J774). The crude extracts of Limonium virgatum Fourr. (Plumbaginaceae) leaves and stems showed the most interesting antiradical activities, with IC50 equal to 7.59 ± 0.11 µg/mL and 7.56 ± 0.14 µg/mL respectively. The extract of Juncus maritimus Lam. (Juncaceae) rhizomes demonstrated a moderate antiradical activity with an IC50 equal to 45.23 ± 2.38 µg/mL. These three extracts also exhibited the highest antibacterial activity. The crude extracts of L. virgatum were also active against several bacteria Gram – and +, while the methylene chloride partition of J. maritimus rhizomes showed a specific activity against Gram + bacteria, in particular against Streptococcus dysgalactiae and S. pyrogenes (MIC = 39 µg/mL). The crude methanolic extract of J. maritimus rhizomes showed also a high antiviral activity (relative infection < 10% at 50 µg/mL). The phytochemical investigation of these most active plants is in progress.

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2. Ksouri R. Ksouri WM, Jallali I, Debez A, Magné C, Hiroko I, Abdelly C. Medicinal halophytes: Potent source of health promoting biomolecules with medical, nutraceutical and food applications. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2012; 32: 289 – 326