An emerging vegetable, (Crithmum maritimum L.), as a source of nutraceuticals: extraction, purification and chemical characterization of polar extracts.

An emerging vegetable, ‘paccasassi’ (Crithmum maritimum L.), as a source of nutraceuticals: purification and chemical characterization of polar extracts Diletta Piatti1, Simone Angeloni1, Giovanni Caprioli1, Filippo Maggi1, Gianni Sagratini1, Lolita Arnoldi2 1 School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via S. Agostino 1, 62032 Camerino, Italy; 2 Research and Development Department, Indena SpA, 20139 Milan, Italy diletta.piatti@unicam.it Objectives. Crithmum maritimum L., sea fennel or rock samphire, is an emerging and promising vegetable crop. It is consumed and appreciated, especially in the Mediterranean area, for its aromatic traits. Moreover, this plant has been used in the folk medicine as antiscorbutic, tonic, carminative, diuretic, depurative and vermifuge [1] and recent studies have demonstrated being rich in bioactive compounds such as vitamin C, ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids, iodine, carotenoids, minerals, organic acids and phenolics[2]. The aim of this study was the quali-quantitative chemical characterization of C. maritimum extracts. Methods. C. maritimum aerial parts were dried, ground and extracted by percolation with ethanol 70%. Then the extract has been purified using an Amberlite® XAD7HP sorbent resin. The identification and quantification of phytochemicals have been performed using HPLC-DAD-MS/MS system. Results. The extract was mainly composed of phenolic compounds, among which the two main classes were hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids. Among the former chlorogenic acids were the most abundant; they were mostly represented by 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (32.04-166.21 mg g-1), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (8.44-38.86 mg g-1) and 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5.70-25.85 mg g-1). Among flavonoids rutin (1.60-4.33 mg g-1) and kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside (0.07-0.33 mg g-1) were the main constituents. Conclusions. This study may improve the use of this plant as a new source of antioxidant compounds[3]. This work shed light on the potential of C. maritimum to be used as a functional food or in nutraceuticals as a source of antioxidant compounds[3]. Acknowledgements. Authors wish to thank Rinci Srl for supplying the Crithmum maritimum. References [1] Hamed, K. B., Castagna, A., Salem, E., Ranieri, A., & Abdelly, C. (2007). Sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) under salinity conditions: a comparison of leaf and root antioxidant responses. Plant Growth Regul. 53(3), 185-194. [2] Mekinić, I. G., Blažević, I., Mudnić, I., Burčul, F., Grga, M., Skroza, D., ... & Katalinić, V. (2016). Sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.): phytochemical profile, antioxidative, cholinesterase inhibitory and vasodilatory activity. J. Food Sci. Technol.53(7), 3104-3112. [3] Souid, A., Croce, C.M.D., Pozzo, L. et al. Antioxidant properties and hepatoprotective effect of the edible halophyte Crithmum maritimum L. against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in rats. Eur Food Res Technol 246, 1393–1403 (2020).