Myrosinase hydrolysates of Brassica oleraceae L. var. italica reduce the risk of colon cancer

Phytother Res. 2012 May;26(5):743-7. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3591. Epub 2011 Nov 11.

Abstract

By means of liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization (LC-ESI) mass spectrometry two glucosinolates, glucoiberin and 3-hydroxy,4(α-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy) benzyl glucosinolate, were identified in the aqueous extract of Brassica oleraceae L var. italica. Further, two compounds were isolated after enzymatic hydrolysis of the aqueous extract by myrosinase, one of them was identified as 4-vinyl-3-pyrazolidinone. The second compound (sulphoraphane) 1-isothiocyanate-4-methyl-sulphinyl butane, converted to the most stable form of thiourea (sulphoraphane thiourea). The crude extract (80% alcohol extract) of broccoli florets was examined for cytotoxic activity against different human cancer cell lines, it showed good inhibition of colon cancer (IC(50) 3.88 µg/mL). On the other hand each of the successive extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol) showed no significant cytotoxic activity. When myrosinase hydrolysate was tested for cytotoxic activity on the colon cancer cell line it showed very high activity - 95% lethality up to 0.78 µg/mL.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Brassica / chemistry*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chromatography, Liquid
  • Colonic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Flowers / chemistry
  • Glucosinolates / chemistry*
  • Glucosinolates / isolation & purification
  • Glycoside Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydrolysis
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Isothiocyanates / chemistry
  • Isothiocyanates / isolation & purification
  • Isothiocyanates / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Pyrazolones / chemistry
  • Pyrazolones / isolation & purification
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Sulfoxides
  • Thiourea / chemistry
  • Thiourea / isolation & purification

Substances

  • 3-hydroxy,4(alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzyl glucosinolate
  • 4-vinyl-3-pyrazolidinone
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Glucosinolates
  • Isothiocyanates
  • Plant Extracts
  • Pyrazolones
  • Sulfoxides
  • glucoiberin
  • Glycoside Hydrolases
  • thioglucosidase
  • sulforaphane
  • Thiourea