Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of lichen extracts

Background: Lichens are unique organisms consisting of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner growing in a symbiotic relationship [1]. Lichens have the ability to survive extreme conditions like low temperature, aridity or high UV radiation [2]. Recent data showed the resistance of the lichen symbiosis Aspicilia fruticulosa to space conditions: experiments with the European Biopan facility (a spaceflight on board of a Russian Foton retrievable satellite) revealed that space vacuum/cosmic radiation did not impair metabolic activity of lichens [3]. The effect was related to high amounts of antioxidant compounds [3]…