Investigations on the glucosinolates of lepidium sativum growing in Egypt and their biological activity

ABSTRACT

Fractionation of the glucosinolate contents of both the seeds and fresh herb of Lepidium sativum growing in Egypt were carried out. The study of the glucosinolate contents of L. sativum seeds revealed the isolation and identification of glucotropaeolin and 2- Phenyl ethyl glucosinolate while the study of glucosinolate contents of the fresh herb revealed the presence of 2- ethyl butyl glucosinolate, methyl glucosinolate, butyl glucosinolate and glucotropaeolin. The identification of the isolated glucosinolates were substantiated through using different chemical methods [enzymatic hydrolysis] and spectroscopic determinations [UV, MS and GC-MS for the corresponding isothiocyanates]. Acute toxicity studies of pet ether and alcoholic extracts of aerial parts of the plant showed that the alcoholic extract is more safe than that of pet ether extract and both extracts have a hepatoprotective activity on liver at the same concentration [50 micro g/ml]. The different extracts of the seeds and herbs of Lepidium sativum showed a potent effect against the White fly [Bemisia tabaci]. The total glucosinolate and in particular glucotropaeolin showed significant activity against the pest, which gave a highest mortality percentage on the adult stage