Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Seeds of Various Halophytic Grasses

Increasing population has resulted in overexploitation of conventional seeds. The limited supply of water and salinization of agricultural lands are threats to crop production. This creates food insecurity and results in everincreasing prices of crops and edible oils. Halophytes that produce high-quality seeds can serve as sources of oil and edible products. We analyzed the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of seeds from 5 halophytic grasses, i.e., Aeluropus lagopoides, Eragrostis ciliaris, Eragrostis pilosa, Panicum antidotale, and Sporobolus ioclados. These seeds contained crude protein (10-29%), carbohydrates (32-55%), crude fiber (4-21%), minerals (3.8-9.2%), and oil (4-11%), indicating their nutritional potential. Oils of these seeds had suitable fatty-acid composition with 62-82% unsaturation and only 17-24% saturation. Out of this, 91-94% of the total oil constituted by linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acids. High contents of total phenols (2.8-4.2 mg gallic acid equivalent [GAE] g(-1)), flavonoids (0.5-1.3 mg Quercetin equivalent [QE] g(-1)), and tannins (0.3-1.3 mg catechin equivalent [CE] g(-1)) supported their high antioxidant activity (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) activity in terms of half maximal inhibitory concentration-IC50 1.1-5.86 mg mL(-1) ; 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) 18.8-72.8 mmol Trolox g(-1) ; ferric-reducing antioxidant power 2.0-4.4 mmol Fe+2 g(-1)). The reverse phase-high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis identified the presence of bioactive phenolic antioxidants (mainly gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin). Due to these characteristic composition and salt tolerability, these plants can serve as potential sources of industrial raw materials for food, edible oil, phytochemicals, and oliochemicals.