Halophytes as important sources of antioxidants and anti-cholinesterase compounds

Abstract

Halophytes are plants adapted to high salinity, and they are common in many places around the world where environmental conditions are inconvenient for the growth of conventional plants. Normally, plants exposed to harsh conditions would experience oxidative stress during which the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases inside the cells leading to cell damage and sometimes plant death and even plant species extinction when bad conditions remain for a long period of time. Throughout the history, certain plants have adapted morphologically and physiologically to harsh conditions. Among those are halophytes, which adapt their systems to oxidative stress by expressing biologically active metabolites that protect them from oxidative stress. This self-defense mechanism has attract not only evolution and plant physiology scientists but also food additive companies and pharmaceutical companies, as the extraction of such valuable metabolites can protect human food from oxidation and can help in curing many diseases. Halophytes are being investigated in the last few years as sources of antioxidants and other curative phytochemicals including anti-cholinesterase.