+443308187254Elaloui M, Ghazghazi H, Ennajah A, Smidi H, Othman NB, Laamouri A
In recent years, the use of natural products became a big necessity in order to prevent human health and to protect the environment besides risks caused by using synthetic chemicals. However, Opuntia-ficus-indica mucilage had an ample application for ethno medicine, there is no reports focusing on their chemical composition and biological activity. In this work, we aimed to investigate, for the first time, the antioxidant activity, the total phenolic and the flavonoid contents, the antimicrobial and allelopathic activities of the mucilage extracted from Opuntia-ficusindica rackets collected at three different ages (1, 2 and 3 years old) originated from three Tunisian provenances (Sbeitla, Matmata and Ouslatia). Total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents in the tested extracts were determined using Folin-Ciocalteu, Aluminum trichloride and Vanillin reagent, respectively. In vitro susceptibility to human pathogenic was evaluated against three bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniea) and three fungal strains (Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium solani and Botrytis cinerea), according to well Agar diffusion method. The allelopathic effects tested on Triticum durum, Lens culinaris and Trigonella foenum-graecum. The germination percentage, plumule and radicle lengths were recorded after seven days. Biochemical analysis showed that Ouslatia provenance was the richest one on phenols (51.692 ± 0.78 microgram equivalent acid gallic per milligram dray weight µg=EAG/mg DW), flavonoids (13.77 ± 1.77 µg QE/mg DW=microgram quercetin equivalent per milligram dray weight) and tannins (37.61 ± 0.62 µg EC/mg DW=microgram of catechin equivalent per milligram dray weight). Similarly, this provenance was the most efficient against all tested microorganisms especially against K. pneumoniae (25 mm) and Fusarium solani (19 mm). Similarly, the largest capacity to neutralize 22-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (0.003 ± 0.002 mg/ ml=milligram per milliliter) was found in Ouslatia provenance. Opuntia-ficus-indica mucilage of Ouslatia successfully inhibited Triticum durum at levels of -25% (seeds germination) and -93.60% (shoot length). Tunisian mucilage originated from rackets of Ouslatia provenance could advantageously used as a therapeutic agent, pharmaceutical industry, cosmetic and biopesticide products.
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