Salinity increases the contents of flavonoids, anthocyanins and the hypoglicemic potential of tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa)

Abstract

In the current study, the effect of salinity on the levels of flavonoids and anthocyanins was determined, as well as the inhibitory potential of the enzymes α-glucosidase and α-amylase of tomatillo fruits (Physalis ixocarpa), a species with relevant nutritional and commercial interest from Mexico. Some reports have revealed that environmental stress can increase the levels and diversity of phenolic composition, and therefore the biological properties of some plant species. The results revealed that the concentration of 120 mM of NaCl, added daily for 15 days to 42-day-old plants caused the increase in flavonoid and anthocyanin contents of tomatillo fruits with respect to control, in 1.16 and 1.46 times, respectively. The results also revealed that the extracts at 200 mg/mL of fruits of plants grown in 120 mM NaCl increased 2.89 times their capacity to inhibit α-glucosidase compared to the extracts of the control plants fruits. Tomatillo fruits showed no potential as α-amylase inhibitors, nor was this potential stimulated with saline stress. Fruits grown in different saline conditions were discriminated by a principal component analysis based on the contents of flavonoids and anthocyanins, as well as on the α-glucosidase inhibitory potential, so these parameters can represent a quality control tool, in relation to the growth conditions, of this species.