Abstract
Heavy metal contamination poses critical challenges for the cultivation of medicinal plants. This study explores cadmium (Cd)-induced morpho-physiological and metabolic responses in Salvia officinalis (So) and the rare endemic Salvia ceratophylloides (Sc). Plants were exposed to cadmium contamination corresponding to 5 and 10 mg kg−1 Cd (100% and 200% of the Italian regulatory limit) and assessed through gas exchange, leaf anatomy, mineral profiling, polyphenol composition, antioxidant activity, and a preliminary ecotoxicological evaluation using the Artemia salina lethality bioassay. Cd predominantly accumulated in roots, reflecting a partial exclusion strategy, and caused alterations in leaf traits, water relations, and nutrient balance. While total polyphenols generally declined, species-specific responses emerged: S. ceratophylloides increased caffeic acid derivatives, whereas S. officinalis accumulated caffeic acid, lithospermic acid A, quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, and apigenin-O-pentoside at the highest Cd exposure. Polyphenol shifts were strongly associated with antioxidant capacity. Despite higher growth sensitivity, S. ceratophylloides extracts exhibited no toxicity in the A. salina assay, indicating effective metal sequestration and low bioavailability, whereas S. officinalis extracts induced moderate to high toxicity. These findings reveal contrasting Cd tolerance and detoxification strategies, highlighting the potential of integrating plant stress physiology with ecotoxicological assessment and phytostabilization approaches to safely cultivate medicinal species on contaminated soils.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Cadmium accumulated chiefly in roots.
SalviaNot reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cd predominantly accumulated in roots”
t0“Two Salvia Species”
Claim · model-written summary
Cadmium altered leaf traits, water relations and nutrient balance.
- Treatment
- cadmium contamination corresponding to 5 and 10 mg kg−1 Cde0
- Outcome
- leaf traits, water relations, and nutrient balancee1
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“cadmium contamination corresponding to 5 and 10 mg kg−1 Cd”
e1“caused alterations in leaf traits, water relations, and nutrient balance”
t0“Two Salvia Species”
Claim · model-written summary
Total polyphenols generally declined under cadmium.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“total polyphenols generally declined”
t0“Two Salvia Species”
Claim · model-written summary
S. ceratophylloides increased caffeic acid derivatives.
Verbatim
e0“S. ceratophylloides increased caffeic acid derivatives”
Claim · model-written summary
At the highest cadmium exposure, S. officinalis accumulated caffeic acid, lithospermic acid A, quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, and apigenin-O-pentoside.
- Taxon
- S. officinalis
Salvia officinalise0 - Outcome
- caffeic acid, lithospermic acid A, quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, and apigenin-O-pentosidee0
- Direction
- accumulatede0
- Qualifier
- highest Cd exposuree0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“S. officinalis accumulated caffeic acid, lithospermic acid A, quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, and apigenin-O-pentoside at the highest Cd exposure”
Claim · model-written summary
Polyphenol changes were strongly associated with antioxidant capacity.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Polyphenol shifts were strongly associated with antioxidant capacity”
t0“Two Salvia Species”
Claim · model-written summary
S. ceratophylloides had higher growth sensitivity.
Verbatim
e0“Despite higher growth sensitivity, S. ceratophylloides extracts exhibited no toxicity in the A. salina assay”
Claim · model-written summary
S. ceratophylloides extracts showed no toxicity to Artemia salina.
- Taxon
- S. ceratophylloidese0
- Interactor
- A. salina
Artemia salinae0other - Outcome
- no toxicity in the A. salina assaye0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“S. ceratophylloides extracts exhibited no toxicity in the A. salina assay”
Claim · model-written summary
S. officinalis extracts induced moderate to high toxicity.
- Taxon
- S. officinalisSalvia officinalise0
- Outcome
- moderate to high toxicitye0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“S. officinalis extracts induced moderate to high toxicity”