Edible Flowers of Tagetes erecta L. as Functional Ingredients: Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant and Protective Effects on Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract

Tagetes erecta L. has long been consumed for culinary and medicinal purposes in different countries. The aim of this study was to explore the potential benefits from two cultivars of T. erecta related to its polyphenolic profile as well as antioxidant and anti-aging properties. The phenolic composition was analyzed by LC-DAD-ESI/MSn. Folin-Ciocalteu, DPPH·, and FRAP assays were performed in order to evaluate reducing antiradical properties. The neuroprotective potential was evaluated using the enzymes acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase. Caenorhabditis elegans was used as an in vivo model to assess extract toxicity, antioxidant activity, delayed aging, and reduced β-amyloid toxicity. Both extracts showed similar phenolic profiles and bioactivities. The main polyphenols found were laricitin and its glycosides. No acute toxicity was detected for extracts in the C. elegans model. T. erecta flower extracts showed promising antioxidant and neuroprotective properties in the different tested models. Hence, these results may add some information supporting the possibilities of using these plants as functional foods and/or as nutraceutical ingredients.

Jasonia glutinosa (L.) DC., a Traditional Herbal Tea, Exerts Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Properties in Different In Vitro and In Vivo Systems

“…In vivo neuroprotective effects of RT extract were evaluated using the strain CL4176 according to previous research protocols [ 15 ]. The strain CL4176 was egg-synchronized onto the NGM plates seeded with E. coli containing 0, 5, 10 and 25 μg/mL of the RT extract and cultured at 16 °C.…”

Carotenoids from mamey (Pouteria sapota) and carrot (Daucus carota) increase the oxidative stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans

“…Nevertheless, these results revealed the antioxidant potentials of mamey and carrot carotenoids on living organisms through their capacity for singlet oxygen quenching and deactivation of free radicals [ 1 , 6 , 14 ]. Some researchers point out that the resistance against oxidative stress is enhanced when natural sources of antioxidants, such as orange juice [ 6 ], spinach polyphenol extracts [ 8 ], or phenolic extracts from marigold flowers ( Tagetes erecta ) [ 41 ] are used instead of pure compounds. This may be attributed to the complex mixture of compounds in the extracts or the food matrix, either enhancing their activity through synergistic interactions or affecting their bioavailability [ 6 , 21 ].…”

Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant Activity, and Cytotoxicity Assessment of Tagetes erecta L. Flowers

“…During phytochemical analyses of the total extract, over 50 compounds were tentatively identified, which pertain to different classes of natural metabolites, such as amino acids (phenylalanine, tryptophan), gallic acid, quinic acid, syringic acid and ellagic acid derivatives, and mono- and diacyl chlorogenic acids, as well as flavonoids, especially the glycosides of quercetagetin, quercetin, kaempferol, and patuletin, but also their aglycons (quercetin, kaempferol, patuletin, isorhamnetin, and axillarin). Some of these compounds have been previously reported in the literature for T. erecta, particularly quercetagetin and some of its derivatives, syringic acid [ 36 ], quercetin, kaempferol [ 37 ], ellagic acid [ 38 ], and gallic acid and its derivatives [ 39 ]. However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first complete profiling of a methanolic extract of T. erecta flowers, followed by a comparative biological analysis of the total extract and one of its fractions through the chosen methods.…”