In vitro antiproliferative activity of isothiocyanates and nitriles generated by myrosinase-mediated hydrolysis of glucosinolates from seeds of cruciferous vegetables

A comparison of the effect of isothiocyanates and nitriles derived from som e glucosinolates, namely, epi-progoitrin, sinalbin, glucotropaeolin, glucoc heirolin, and glucoraphenin, on human erythroleukemic in vitro cultured cel ls was studied. Many studies have in fact evidenced that a consumption of v egetable containing glucosinolates could reduce the development of colorect al cancer. In the experimental conditions used, the production of isothiocy anates and nitriles from glucosinolates is almost quantitative as confirmed by HPLC or GC-MS analysis. The obtained results demonstrated that in gener al nitriles are considerably less potent than the corresponding isothiocyan ates in inhibiting cancer cell growth. Particularly, the isothiocyanates in hibitory activity on K562 cells growth is higher in the case of products de rived from epi-progoitrin, glucotropaeolin, glucoraphenin, and glucocheirol in; while for nitriles the higher activity in inhibiting K562 cells growth is showed by sinalbin-derived product. Considering the antiproliferative ac tivity found for isothiocyanates and nitriles, further studies will be aime d to the possible application of glucosinolate-derived products as chemopre ventive cancer agents for the reduction of colorectal cancer.