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Protective role of a methanolic extract of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) against Pb toxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings: beneficial effects for a plant of a nutraceutical used with animals

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Abstract

Spinach extracts contain powerful natural antioxidants and have been used to improve the response of animal cells to various stress factors. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of a methanolic extract of spinach (SE) used at two concentrations (21.7 and 217 ppm) on the growth, certain enzymes and antioxidant systems in wheat seedlings under lead stress. When wheat seedlings were grown for 7 days in a solution containing Pb(NO3)2 (3 mM), germination and growth were impaired, while signs of oxidative stress were observed. SE (217 ppm) pretreatment was able to protect seedlings from Pb toxicity by both reducing Pb uptake and Pb-induced oxidative stress. As a consequence, almost normal germination, elongation, biomass and α-amylase activity were restored by SE (217 ppm) pretreatment of wheat seedlings, in spite of the presence of Pb. Our results support the protective role and the antioxidant effect of SE against Pb. These results show an amazing similarity to the effects of SE in animals, which suggests that providing “nutraceuticals” to plants could improve their “health” status.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. Laurence Neil Dinan (University Paris 6, France) and Pr. Mohamed Benouham (University Mohamed 1st, Oujda) for critical reading of the manuscript and language improvement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PER-Centre des Etudes Environnementales Méditerranéennes, Equipe de recherche Biotechnologies et Génie des Biomolécules, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Abdelmalek Essaadi, BP 416, Tangier, Morocco

    Mostafa Lamhamdi, Ahmed Bakrim, Noureddin Bouayad & Ahmed Aarab

  2. Laboratoire BIOSIPE, ER3, UPMC (Université Paris 6), Case Courrier 29, 7 Quai Saint Bernard, 75252, Paris Cedex 05, France

    Ahmed Bakrim & René Lafont

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  1. Mostafa Lamhamdi
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  2. Ahmed Bakrim
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  3. Noureddin Bouayad
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  4. Ahmed Aarab
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  5. René Lafont
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Correspondence to Ahmed Bakrim.

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Responsible editor: Elena Maestri

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Lamhamdi, M., Bakrim, A., Bouayad, N. et al. Protective role of a methanolic extract of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) against Pb toxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings: beneficial effects for a plant of a nutraceutical used with animals. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 7377–7385 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1755-1

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