Impact of Climate Change on the Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activity of Mentha pulegium L

Abdelouahid Laftouhi; Noureddine Eloutassi; Elhachmia Ech-Chihbi; Zakia Rais; Abdslam Taleb; Amine Assouguem; Riaz Ullah; Mohammed Kara; Hafize Fidan; Mustapha Beniken; Mustapha Taleb

doi:10.1021/acsomega.3c05564

Impact of Climate Change on the Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activity of Mentha pulegium L

ACS Omega. 2023 Nov 28;8(49):46598-46607. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05564. eCollection 2023 Dec 12.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Electrochemistry, Modeling and Environment Engineering (LIEME), Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Faculty of Sciences Fes, Fes 30000, Morocco.
² Environmental Process Engineering Laboratory- Faculty of Science and Technology Mohammedia, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Fes 30000, Morocco.
³ Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Imouzzer Street, P.O. Box 2202, Fez 30000, Morocco.
⁴ Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Imouzzer street, P.O. Box 2202, Fez 30000, Morocco.
⁵ Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Laboratory of Biotechnology, Conservation and Valorisation of Natural Resources (LBCVNR), Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mehraz, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah, BP 1796 Atlas, Fez 30000, Morocco.
⁷ University of Food Technologies, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.

Abstract

A central position in Moroccan ethnobotany is held by the Mentha genus, serving as a vital reference for aromatic and medicinal plants within the Lamiaceae family. The profound importance of Mentha species in the daily lives of Moroccans is recognized, and the primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of rising temperatures and decreasing precipitation on the primary and secondary metabolites of Mentha pulegium under the following climatic conditions: sample 1, cultivated under standard temperature and precipitation conditions during the first year; sample 2, subjected to an 8 °C temperature increase and a 25% reduction in water supply; and sample 3, exposed to a 12 °C temperature rise and a 50% decrease in water availability. Phytochemical screening results reveal a progressive decline in primary metabolites from sample 1 to sample 3 due to the increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation. Conversely, a distinct trend is observed in secondary metabolites and the yield of essential oil, increasing from sample 1 to sample 2 as the temperature rises and precipitation decreases. Remarkably, in sample 3, the yield of essential oil decreases as climatic conditions further deteriorate. Additionally, GC analysis demonstrates that modifications in the chemical compositions of essential oils occur because of the disruption of climatic parameters, particularly in the major compounds. Similarly, changes in climatic parameters significantly influence antioxidant activity, with sample 2 exhibiting the highest activity, as reflected by an IC₅₀ value (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) of 14,874.04 μg/mL, followed by the third sample at 8488.43 μg/mL, whereas the first sample exhibits the lowest activity at 4505.02 μg/mL. In summary, the complex relationship between climatic factors and the chemical composition of Mentha pulegium is highlighted by our experiment, emphasizing its implications for medicinal properties within an ecological context.