Phenolic Compounds Content and Genetic Diversity at Population Level across the Natural Distribution Range of Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>, Ericaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula
Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>) is a medicinal plant traditionally employed for the treatment of urinary tract infections due to high contents of arbutin (hydroquinone β-D-glucoside), which is now mainly used as a natural skin-whitening agent in cosmetics. Bearberry has also b...
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/9/1250 |
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| author | Esther Asensio Daniel Vitales Iván Pérez Laia Peralba Juan Viruel Celia Montaner Joan Vallès Teresa Garnatje Ester Sales |
| author_facet | Esther Asensio Daniel Vitales Iván Pérez Laia Peralba Juan Viruel Celia Montaner Joan Vallès Teresa Garnatje Ester Sales |
| author_sort | Esther Asensio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>) is a medicinal plant traditionally employed for the treatment of urinary tract infections due to high contents of arbutin (hydroquinone β-D-glucoside), which is now mainly used as a natural skin-whitening agent in cosmetics. Bearberry has also been proposed as a natural antioxidant additive due to the high contents of phenolic compounds in leaves. We studied the variation on phenolic compounds in 42 wild populations of bearberry, aiming to elucidate if intrinsic biological, climatic, and/or geographic factors affect phenolic contents across its natural distribution in the Iberian Peninsula. Bearberry leaves were collected during autumn over a three-year period (2014–2016) in populations across a latitude and altitude gradient. Methanolic extracts showed a wide range of variation in total phenols content, and different phenolic profiles regarding arbutin (levels of this major constituent varied from 87 to 232 mg/g dr wt), but also catechin and myricetin contents, which were affected by geographic and climatic factors. Moderate levels of variation on genome size—assessed by flow cytometry—and on two plastid DNA regions were also detected among populations. Genetic and cytogenetic differentiation of populations was weakly but significantly associated to phytochemical diversity. Elite bearberry genotypes with higher antioxidant capacity were subsequently identified. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:08:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-af09f921aa5047d081709f21342ab805 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:08:59Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-af09f921aa5047d081709f21342ab8052023-11-20T14:39:55ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472020-09-0199125010.3390/plants9091250Phenolic Compounds Content and Genetic Diversity at Population Level across the Natural Distribution Range of Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>, Ericaceae) in the Iberian PeninsulaEsther Asensio0Daniel Vitales1Iván Pérez2Laia Peralba3Juan Viruel4Celia Montaner5Joan Vallès6Teresa Garnatje7Ester Sales8Departamento of Química Analítica, Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería, Universidad de Zaragoza, Centro Politécnico Superior, Edificio Torres Quevedo, María de Luna 3, 50018 Zaragoza, SpainInstitut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Passeig del Migdia s.n., 08038 Barcelona, SpainInstitut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Passeig del Migdia s.n., 08038 Barcelona, SpainInstitut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Passeig del Migdia s.n., 08038 Barcelona, SpainRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond TW9 3DS, UKDepartamento of Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Zaragoza, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Ctra. Cuarte s.n., 22071 Huesca, SpainLaboratori de Botànica (UB)—Unitat Associada al CSIC, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació—Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Avda. Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, SpainInstitut Botànic de Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Passeig del Migdia s.n., 08038 Barcelona, SpainDepartamento of Ciencias Agrarias y del Medio Natural, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Zaragoza, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Ctra. Cuarte s.n., 22071 Huesca, SpainBearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>) is a medicinal plant traditionally employed for the treatment of urinary tract infections due to high contents of arbutin (hydroquinone β-D-glucoside), which is now mainly used as a natural skin-whitening agent in cosmetics. Bearberry has also been proposed as a natural antioxidant additive due to the high contents of phenolic compounds in leaves. We studied the variation on phenolic compounds in 42 wild populations of bearberry, aiming to elucidate if intrinsic biological, climatic, and/or geographic factors affect phenolic contents across its natural distribution in the Iberian Peninsula. Bearberry leaves were collected during autumn over a three-year period (2014–2016) in populations across a latitude and altitude gradient. Methanolic extracts showed a wide range of variation in total phenols content, and different phenolic profiles regarding arbutin (levels of this major constituent varied from 87 to 232 mg/g dr wt), but also catechin and myricetin contents, which were affected by geographic and climatic factors. Moderate levels of variation on genome size—assessed by flow cytometry—and on two plastid DNA regions were also detected among populations. Genetic and cytogenetic differentiation of populations was weakly but significantly associated to phytochemical diversity. Elite bearberry genotypes with higher antioxidant capacity were subsequently identified.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/9/1250arbutingenetic and phytochemical variabilitygenome sizehaplotypesnatural antioxidants |
| spellingShingle | Esther Asensio Daniel Vitales Iván Pérez Laia Peralba Juan Viruel Celia Montaner Joan Vallès Teresa Garnatje Ester Sales Phenolic Compounds Content and Genetic Diversity at Population Level across the Natural Distribution Range of Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>, Ericaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula Plants arbutin genetic and phytochemical variability genome size haplotypes natural antioxidants |
| title | Phenolic Compounds Content and Genetic Diversity at Population Level across the Natural Distribution Range of Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>, Ericaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula |
| title_full | Phenolic Compounds Content and Genetic Diversity at Population Level across the Natural Distribution Range of Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>, Ericaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula |
| title_fullStr | Phenolic Compounds Content and Genetic Diversity at Population Level across the Natural Distribution Range of Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>, Ericaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phenolic Compounds Content and Genetic Diversity at Population Level across the Natural Distribution Range of Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>, Ericaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula |
| title_short | Phenolic Compounds Content and Genetic Diversity at Population Level across the Natural Distribution Range of Bearberry (<i>Arctostaphylos uva-ursi</i>, Ericaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula |
| title_sort | phenolic compounds content and genetic diversity at population level across the natural distribution range of bearberry i arctostaphylos uva ursi i ericaceae in the iberian peninsula |
| topic | arbutin genetic and phytochemical variability genome size haplotypes natural antioxidants |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/9/1250 |
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