Plant phytochemicals are described as possessing considerable neuroprotective
properties, due to radical scavenging capacity and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity,
important bioactivities in neurodegeneration. Antirrhinum lopesianum is a rare endemism
from the Iberian Peninsula, occurring at the northeastern border between Portugal and Spain.
It is classified as Endangered, due to its highly fragmented geographical occupation, facing
a high risk of extinction in the Portuguese territory, within 20 years. Here, we describe for
the first time the chemical characterization of extracts of the species concerning total phenol
content, flavonoid content and antioxidant properties. The profile of high performance
liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) of the polyphenol-enriched
fraction of plant extracts was also performed, showing the great potential of the species as a
source of bioactive phytochemical compounds. A. lopesianum’s potential for neuroprotection was revealed by a significant acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity and also by a
neuroprotective effect on a human cell model of neurodegeneration. Moreover, this is the
first report describing a successful procedure for the in vitro propagation of this
endangered species. The comparison of phenolic content and the HPLC-DAD profile of
wild and in vitro propagated plants revealed that in vitro plants maintain the ability to
produce secondary metabolites, but the profiles are differentially affected by the growth
regulators. The results presented here greatly contribute to the value for this species regarding
its potential as a source of phytochemicals with prospective neuroprotective health benefits.
