Thermoprotective properties of Opuntia ficus-indica f. inermis cladodes and mesocarps on sheep lymphocytes

Abstract This study aims to investigate the thermoprotective properties of Opuntia ficus-indica f. inermis . Extracts were prepared from cladodes (CE) and mesocarps (ME), then subjected to a spectrophotometric and LC-MS analyses. Lymphocytes were isolated from peripheral blood of non-stressed sheep, supplemented with CE, ME, betanin or α-tocopherol, and subjected to two thermal treatments: 40 and 41 °C, for 6 h. Viable lymphocytes and H 2 O 2 production were evaluated. The antioxidant activity of ME was 3.43 folds higher than CE. The LC-MS analysis of CE and ME allowed identifying 11 phenolic acids, 2 flavanones, 6 flavones, 3 flavonols and 1 betanin type betacyanin. Lymphocytes mortality increased linearly as function of the severity and the duration of heat stress. This mortality was correlated with H 2 O 2 production. At 41 °C, only ME allowed maintaining lymphocytes viability. Moreover, ME was more efficient than CE in reducing H 2 O 2 production. This thermoprotection was ensured by betaxanthin and betacyanin pigments. Interestingly, betanin was more efficient than α-tocopherol in preventing hyperthermia-induced lymphocytes’ mortality. We report here for the first time the thermoprotective properties of cladodes and mesocarps of Opuntia ficus-indica f. inermis . Betanin was able to maintain lymphocyte viability through reducing H 2 O 2 production, and therefore the oxidative-induced heat stress.