Variability of antioxidant and antibacterial effects of essential oils and acetonic extracts of two edible halophytes: Crithmum maritimum L. and Inula crithmoides L.

This work aimed to assess the richness of the food halophytes Crithmum maritimum and Inula crithmoides on phenolics and essential oils (EOs) and to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial potential of these metabolites. Results displayed that extract of I. crithmoides possesses considerable contents of phenolic compounds (14.1 mg GAE.g(-1) DW) related to important antioxidant activities (IC50 = 13 mu g ml(-1) for the DPPH test) as compared to C maritimum. C maritimum EOs composition is dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes, while I. crithmoides one is mainly consisted by monoterpene hydrocarbons. EOs have low antioxidant activity as compared to acetone extracts; nevertheless, they show best antimicrobial activity. A significant variability is also depicted between the provenances of each species and depended on the chemical nature of antioxidant and antibacterial molecules as well as the used tests. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.