Unlocking the functional potential of Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum: Insights into digestibility, safety and intestinal uptake

Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum, commonly known as slenderleaf iceplant, is an undervalued edible halophyte. The nutraceutical potential of M. nodiflorum was investigated in the current study by extracting bioactive compounds using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and assessing the influence of gastrointestinal digestion and intestinal permeability on their bioactive composition. The phenolic and flavonoid contents were the highest in the alcoholic extract, along with exceptional antioxidant/antiradical effects. The gastrointestinal digestion enhances the release and detectability of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, with bioaccessibility exceeding 100 %. Additionally, the extracts stimulated antioxidant enzymes and inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE), with alcoholic extract showing the highest inhibition (38 %). UPLC-QTOF-MS unveiled high concentrations of glycerophospholipids, tryptophan, and 5,5′-dihydroferulic acid. Ethanol was the most effective solvent for extracting bioactive compounds. Through an intestinal co-culture model, the intestinal digest from the alcoholic extract demonstrated notable permeation (66 % for rosmanol, 30 % for Lys-Asp-Tyr, and 15 % for tryptophan). These results highlight the bioactivity and intestinal absorption of M. nodiflorum extracts, repurposing this halophyte as a nutraceutical.