German soils affect biomass production, elemental profiles, and anti-inflammatory activity of three medicinal plants used in Brazilian traditional medicine: Scoparia dulcis L., Physalis angulata L., and Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass.

Abstract

Cultivated medicinal plants are an important source of bioactive raw materials. However, information on their performance in non-native soils and their associated elemental and pharmacological profiles is limited. This study evaluated whether the three South American medicinal species – Physalis angulata L., Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass., and Scoparia dulcis L. – can be cultivated on two German soils (clayey silt and sandy loam) under greenhouse conditions, focusing on biomass production, elemental profile, and anti-inflammatory potential. Soil and plant tissues were analyzed for macro-, micro-nutrients, and trace elements, including rare earth elements (REEs), using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Crude extracts were tested for anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1-derived macrophages. High-resolution mass spectrometry with class-level annotation was used to characterize major natural product classes. The three plant species produced satisfactory above-ground biomass, with P. ruderale yielding the highest biomass, and nutrient levels were within ranges considered adequate for plant growth. Potentially toxic elements (Ni, Cu, Zn, and REEs) were detected at subtoxic concentrations. REEs were largely retained in the roots, with limited translocation to the shoots, which supports the safe use of the above-ground biomass. Acetone extracts of P. angulata, enriched in limonoids (physalins), exhibited the strongest inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. In contrast, S. dulcis extracts were dominated by diterpenoids, exhibiting solvent- dependent activity. Overall, both soils supported the production of pharmacologically active biomass, demonstrating their potential as a reliable raw material for this purpose in a Central European agricultural setting.