Evaluation of Halophyte Biopotential as an Unused Natural Resource: The Case of Lobularia maritima

Halophytes are plant species widely distributed in saline habitats, such as beaches, postindustrial wastelands, irrigated lands, salt flats, and others. Excessive salt level, known to limit plant growth, is not harmful to halophytes, which have developed a variety of defense mechanisms allowing them...

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Published in:Biomolecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2022-10, Vol.12 (11), p.1583
Main Authors: Ben Hsouna, Anis, Michalak, Monika, Kukula-Koch, Wirginia, Ben Saad, Rania, ben Romdhane, Walid, Zeljković, Sanja Ćavar, Mnif, Wissem
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abiotic stress
Adaptation
biopotential
Crops
Food
Food industry
Gene expression
Genes
Genetically altered foods
Genomes
Genomics
halophyte
Halophytes
Harsh environments
Homeostasis
Lobularia maritima
Metabolites
Minerals
molecular mechanisms
Natural products
Oxidative stress
Pharmaceutical industry
Physiology
phytochemicals
Plant resistance
Proteins
Review
Salinity
Salt
Secondary metabolites
stress genes
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Summary:Halophytes are plant species widely distributed in saline habitats, such as beaches, postindustrial wastelands, irrigated lands, salt flats, and others. Excessive salt level, known to limit plant growth, is not harmful to halophytes, which have developed a variety of defense mechanisms allowing them to colonize harsh environments. Plants under stress are known to respond with several morpho-anatomical adaptations, but also to enhance the production of secondary metabolites to better cope with difficult conditions. Owing to these adaptations, halophytes are an interesting group of undemanding plants with a high potential for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, this review aims to present the characteristics of halophytes, describe changes in their gene expression, and discuss their synthesized metabolites of pharmacognostic and pharmacological significance. Lobularia maritima is characterized as a widely spread halophyte that has been shown to exhibit various pharmacological properties in vitro and in vivo. It is concluded that halophytes may become important sources of natural products for the treatment of various ailments and for supplementing the human diet with necessary non-nutrients and minerals. However, extensive studies are needed to deepen the knowledge of their biological potential in vivo, so that they can be introduced to the pharmaceutical and food industries.
ISSN:2218-273X
2218-273X
DOI:10.3390/biom12111583