| Title |
Mentha pulegium L.: A Plant Underestimated for Its Toxicity to Be Recovered from the Perspective of the Circular Economy |
| ID_Doc |
22042 |
| Authors |
Caputo, L; Cornara, L; Raimondo, FM; De Feo, V; Vanin, S; Denaro, M; Trombetta, D; Smeriglio, A |
| Title |
Mentha pulegium L.: A Plant Underestimated for Its Toxicity to Be Recovered from the Perspective of the Circular Economy |
| Year |
2021 |
| Published |
Molecules, 26.0, 8 |
| DOI |
10.3390/molecules26082154 |
| Abstract |
The aim of the study was to investigate the micromorphology of Mentha pulegium leaves and flowers harvested in three different Sicilian (Italy) areas with peculiar pedo-climatic conditions, and to characterize the phytochemical profile, the phytotoxic activity, and the eco-compatibility of their essential oils (EOs) for potential use as safe bioherbicides. Light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) highlighted that M. pulegium indumentum consists of non-glandular and glandular trichomes of different types. Peltate trichomes of plants from the different sites showed few significant differences in dimension and abundance, but they were characterized by a surprisingly high number of secretory cells both in leaves and flowers. Phytochemical analyses showed that oxygenated monoterpenes were the most abundant class in all the EOs investigated (92.2-97.7%), but two different chemotypes, pulegone/isomenthone and piperitone/isomenthone, were found. The complex of morphological and phytochemical data indicates that soil salinity strongly affects the expression of the toxic metabolite pulegone, rather than the EO yield. Phytotoxicity tests showed a moderate activity of EOs against the selected species as confirmed by alpha-amylase assay. Moreover, the low toxicity on brine shrimp provided a rationale for the possible use of investigated EOs as eco-friendly herbicides. |
| Author Keywords |
Mentha pulegium L; micromorphology; trichomes; essential oil; phytochemistry; phytotoxicity; α -amylase; eco-compatibility |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
| EID |
WOS:000644589400001 |
| WoS Category |
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary |
| Research Area |
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Chemistry |
| PDF |
https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/8/2154/pdf?version=1618553805
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