engleski

Invasive alien plant species in Croatia as new ecosystem services providers

Preventing invasive alien plant species (IAPS) introduction and spread is the most efficient strategy to avoid costs arising from IAPS. However, given the current rate of species invasion, IAPS management based mainly on eradication is neither completely effective nor economically viable. Although the economic cost of ecological damages caused by IAPS is significant, their positive influence on human activities and sites is also relevant. One of the positive aspects of some IAPS is their possible use as a source of pharmaceutically active compounds. The research project “NATURe as an ALLY: Alien invasive plants as phytopharmaceuticals – NATURALLY” (IP-2020-02-6899), funded by the Croatian Science Foundation, investigates the phytopharmaceutical potential of extracts of four invasive alien species (Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia, Helianthus tuberosus, and Solidago canadensis) found in Istria (Croatia) as a basis for new ecosystem services. A final goal of the project (2021-2025) is to propose a model for exploring new IAPS provisioning (medicinal) ecosystem services on the pilot territory of Istria. The model will be based on the following elements: a) phytochemical profiling of plant extracts and isolation of specific fractions by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) ; b) determination of their antioxidative, antimicrobial, antiproliferative, genotoxic, and cytotoxic properties by functional tests ; c) assessment of the effects (both negative and positive) of selected IAPS using existing and newly developed assessment tools. Preliminary results of RP-HPLC phytochemical profiling indicate the abundance and diversity of bioactive compounds in 70% ethanol extracts of the analysed species. The most commonly detected compounds were: vitamin C, phenolic acids (gallic, benzoic, chlorogenic, vanillic, caffeic, p-coumaric, synapic, and ferulic acid), and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin). Antioxidant capacity values expressed as the percentage of reaction inhibition relative to Trolox of the same concentration as the extracts varied from 93.9 to 101.8% for ABTS, 98.4 to 99.1% for FRAP, and 41.4-62% for DPPH assay. Obtained results suggest the potential of invasive plant species as a source of natural antioxidants in medicine and the food industry.

antioxidants ; ecological balance ; HPLC ; phenolics ; phytochemical profiling

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