Glucosinolates - A literature review.

Abstract

Glucosinolates are syntesised in dicotyledonous plants, especially the order of Capparales; families Resedaceae, Capparidaceae, Caricaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Gyrostemonaceae, Limnanthaceae, Moringgaceae, Salvadorraceae. Toviraceae, Tropaeolaceae and Cruciferae plants' genera Thilasp, Cochlearia, Sisymbrium, Sinapis, Raphanus. Descurainia, Stanleya and Brassica, which includes kale, rape. turnips and Swedes are fed to livestock. Roots and leaves of forage Brassica crops are rich in nutrients for finishing lambs and cattle. Glucosinolates and S-methyl cysteine sulphoxide (SMCO) concentrate in seeds and vegetative tissues. Effect of SMCO is aggravated by the presence of nitriles that deplete glutathione leading SMCO to cause haemolytic anaemia in ruminants. Toxic effects of glucosinolates on the production performance of animals include changes in productive characteristics such as growth rate, egg and milk production, general animal performance including reproduction and weight performance. Adaptive function of glucosinolates associate with protection against herbivore and also influences the degree of herb ivory of phytophagous insects. Hhydrolysed products may have a role in pathogen resistance, especially anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties and may act as phago-stimulants in which certain Cruciferae could be stimulate and attract certain species of insects. Breakdown of glucosinolate following their absorption from the digestive tract of animal species need more research work to improve the isolation techniques and isotope labelling. Administration of pure compounds in laboratory animals has proved useful and clarified excretory routes of mercapturic acid derivatives of isothiocyanates in the urine.