Phytochemical profile and antioxidant properties of invasive plants Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle and Helianthus tuberosus L. in Istria region, Croatia

Uzelac, Mirela (author), Poljuha, Danijela (author), Dudaš, Slavica (author), Bilić, Josipa (author), Šola, Ivana (author), Mikulič Petkovšek, Maja (author), Sladonja, Barbara (author)

Invasive alien plant species, while ecologically and economically problematic, represent an underutilized source of bioactive phytochemicals with promising phytopharmaceutical applications. This study investigates the LC-DAD-MS phenolic profiles of 70% ethanol and 80% methanol leaf and flower extracts of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle and Helianthus tuberosus L., collected in the Istria region of Croatia, alongside their antioxidant capacities using ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. Both species exhibited high levels of flavonoids and phenolic acids, with consistently higher concentrations in leaf versus flower tissues and in ethanolic versus methanolic extracts. Strong correlations (r > 0.9) between total phenolics and antioxidant activity confirmed the functional significance of these compounds. With a targeted metabolomics approach, in A. altissima, 51 phenolics were identified in leaves and 47 in flowers, with ellagitannins predominating; vescalagin isomers reached 94 mg/g DW in leaves and 82 mg/g DW in flowers. H. tuberosus extracts contained 34 phenolics in leaves and 33 in flowers, with hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonols dominating; 5-caffeoylquinic acid was the principal compound (25 mg/g DW in leaves, 2 mg/g DW in flowers). The identified phytochemicals are known for their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, and metabolic-regulating properties. Additionally, four leaf-specific compounds were identified in each species, indicating potential for targeted extraction. These findings advance the phytochemical characterization of invasive taxa and highlight their potential as sources of natural antioxidants for functional food and pharmaceutical development.

• Language: English
• Keywords: fruit growing, tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus L., invasive plants, ecology, phitopharmacy, bioactive phytochemicals, antioxidants, extracts, flavonoids, phenolic acids, food, Istria, Europe
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 1-19
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss 6, art. 677
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-169922
• UDC: 634.1/.7
• ISSN on article: 2076-3921
• DOI: 10.3390/antiox14060677
• COBISS.SI-ID: 239326211
• Publication date in RUL: 17.06.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Antioxidants
• Shortened title: Antioxidants
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2076-3921
• COBISS.SI-ID: 522976025

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: sadjarstvo, veliki pajesen, visoki pajesen, rajsko drevo, Ailanthus altissima, Helianthus tuberosus, topinambur, invazivne rastline, tujerodne rastline, ekologija, bioaktivne fitokemikalije, antioksidanti, ekstrakcija, flavonoidi, fenolne kisline, prehrana, Istra, Evropa

Projects

• Funder: HRZZ - Croatian Science Foundation
• Project number: IP-2020-02-6899
• Name: NATURe as an ALLY: Alien Invasive Plants as Phytopharmaceuticals
• Acronym: NATURALLY

• Funder: HRZZ - Croatian Science Foundation
• Project number: DOK-2021-02-3094
• Name: Young Researchers’ Career Development Project–Training New Doctoral Students