Halophytes as Possible Source of Antioxidant Compounds, in a Scenario Based On Threatened Agriculture and Food Crisis

Modern agriculture faces pressing problems, such as salinization that is a very common, but difficult to control and ameliorate process. Non-enzymatic compounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids are generally stimulated in response to bio-tic/abiotic stresses such as salinity (1). Halophytes are naturally salt-tolerant plants that may be potentially useful for economical (oilseed, forage, production of metabolites) purposes (2). Recent data suggest that halophytes can serve as a source of valuable secondary metabolites with assumed economic value (3). Total phenolics and flavo-noids were attributed as antioxidants with use in food, cosmetic, pharmacognosy, functional foods and nutraceuticals (4). In this context, due to increased interest in maximize the economic potential of plants growing in saline environments, this papers aims at revealing new findings about Romanian halophytes as possible candidates for economic or medicinal purposes. Plant material has been collected from salt areas from Valea Ilenei (Leţcani) nature reserve. Yet it is a small nature reserve, several species are included in the Red Book of Iaşi district. Plant material was collected from 4-5 individuals of each species. Leaves and shoots (in the case of articulated succulent species) were sampled in the summer of 2011. The following species were collected for subse-Several of these species were explicitly recognized in Romanian traditional medicine (Aster linosyris, Salicornia europaea, Artemisia santonica, Limonium gmelinii, Inula britannica), while other genera have related-species with proved medicinal properties: Plantago and Lepidium (5). Total polyphenols content was determined using a modified Folin-Ciocalteau method (6). Flavonoids content was measured following a spectropho-tometric method (7). The obtained results show a different behavior of halophytes in terms of fla-vonoids biosynthesis (Table 1). All halophytes from Chenopodiaceae (Halimione, Salicornia, Atriplex, Suaeda, Petrosimonia) accumulate the lowest amount of flavonoids, with values ranged from 0.72 mg CE g-1 DW (S. europaea) to 2.80±0.27 mg CE g-1 DW (A. prostrata). Interestingly, these species might be included in a distinct, well defined clus