Taxonomic Comparison, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Three Ebenus pinnata Ait. ecotypes (Fabaceae) from Algeria

Abstract

Ebenus pinnata is not known as a traditional medicinal plant, but modern research has revealed its richness in components of medicinal value. Yet, the species remains understudied. Here, we assess the climate effect on its morphology, pollen grains size, chromosome numbers, pollen fertility, and antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Plant material was collected from the humid, sub-humid, and semi-arid areas of Northeastern Algeria. Data treatment by principal component analysis and/or cluster analysis and ANOVA post hoc tests revealed three significantly discriminated ecotypes correlated with the climate stage. Significant differences were detected for whole plant morphology, pollen size, and antioxidant activity. No differences were revealed for chromosome numbers, pollen fertility, and antibacterial activity. The studied material showed a chromosome number of 2n = 14, high pollen fertility (94.04 ± 2.64–95.01 ± 2.02%), small pollen grains (polar axis: 17.95 ± 1.10–19.47 ± 1.27 µm; equatorial axis: 12.80 ± 1.18–13.03 ± 0.99 µm), high antioxidant activity (TPC: 50.79 ± 0.51–56.89 ± 0.46 mg/g; DPPH: 71.18 ± 2.24–95.67 ± 2.02 mg/g; RP: 11.09 ± 1.24–25.88 ± 0.26 mg/g), and efficient antibacterial activity (Inhibition area diameter: 9.25 ± 1.06–12.00 ± 1.41 mm). The climate seems to exert a significant impact on multiple aspects of the plant’s biology. It would be interesting to assess the genetic basis of this phenomenon in E. pinnata and other species.