Phytochemical composition of the halophyte Suaeda vera grown under natural abiotic stress conditions
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Abstract
Suaeda vera (S. vera) Forssk. ex J.F. Gmel is a halophytic perennial subshrub of the Amaranthaceae family naturally thriving in saline and arid environments of North Africa and the Middle East. Despite its ecological resilience and ethnomedicinal relevance, the phytochemical composition of wild populations remains poorly characterized under natural salinity and aridity stress. This study aimed to investigate the metabolite profile of wild-growing S. vera collected from a saline coastal area in northwestern Algeria during March–April 2024, under conditions of elevated temperature and limited precipitation. The hydromethanolic crude extract of S. vera was characterized through a multi-analytical approach combining qualitative phytochemical screening, thin-layer chromatography, spectrophotometric quantification of major phytochemicals, ATR-FTIR spectroscopic fingerprinting, and UPLC-ESI-MS/MS-based metabolite profiling. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and saponins, with hydromethanolic extracts exhibiting the richest profiles. Phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and tannins were confirmed as the dominant secondary metabolite classes, with total phenolic, flavonoid, and condensed tannin contents of 48.57 ± 0.71 mg GAE/g, 39.88 ± 0.26 mg QE/g, and 3.70 ± 0.13 mg CE/g, respectively. ATR- ATR-FTIR analysis identified characteristic functional groups related to hydroxyl, aromatic, and carbonyl structures, supporting the presence of phenolic constituents. UPLC-ESI-MS/MS profiling identified 30 compounds from diverse chemical classes, with the stress-related amino acid L-proline being the predominant constituent, followed by catechin, salicylic acid, resveratrol, and ferulic acid. The predominance of L-proline and salicylic acid reflects activation of conserved defense pathways in response to combined salt and drought stress conditions. These findings provide a comprehensive chemical characterization of S. vera and highlight its potential as a promising source of bioactive metabolites and as a candidate for further investigation into stress-induced secondary metabolism in halophytes.
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