Abstract:
The objective of this study is to verify the specificity of an halophyte plant species Hammda
scoparia (Pomel) Iljin or Saligne à balai, for therapeutic use in Ghardaia, El Bayadh and Ouargla
regions of Northern Sahara, from a biochemical and biological point of view, in particular the
antioxidant activity of the aqueous crude extracts from the aerial and root part. To do this,
phytochemical screening tests are carried out to highlight the presence or absence of the main
secondary metabolites of this plant. Extractions by aqueous maceration are carried out. The total
polyphenols contents in the obtained crude extracts are then evaluated and their antioxidant
potential against free radicals is finally determined.
Of all the results obtained, the species of El- Bayadh region was richer in aqueous crude extract
with 36.2% in its aerial part and 34.6% in its root part. In general, the aerial parts of our plant
species from the three studied regions appear to be the richest in total polyphenols with a maximum
content of 162 mg GAE/ g DPM in the crude extract of the species of Ghardaia region.
The antioxidant power tests evaluated the power of the crude extracts in the reduction and trapping
of free radicals. The obtained results from the inhibitory power of the DPPH radical show that the
crude extracts isolated from the species from all concerned regions are very active and generally
have superior antioxidant activities (IC50: 53-71 µg/ mL). As for the free radicals ABTS, the crude
extracts of El Bayadh species showed the strongest antioxidant power.
In short, the Hammada scoparia species from the El- Bayadh region is better than that of Ghardaia
and Ouargla from the point of view of biochemical richness in polyphenolic compounds and
antioxidant activity and more particularly in its aerial part.
