A Critical Review on Phytochemical Profile and Biological Effects of Turnip (Brassica rapa L.)

Abstract

A growing number of medicinal and edible plants have attracted increasing attention due to their abundant constituents and biological activities including turnip. Turnip (Brassica rapa L.) is an herbaceous biennial plant belonging to Cruciferae Brassica. As one of the oldest cultivated vegetables widely consumed in Asia, the turnip has received significant attention in the studies of its bioactive components and biological function. Multiple bioactive components in turnip, such as glucosinolates, isothiocyanate, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and organic acids, were identified. The bioactivity studies on turnip revealed its anticancer, antimicrobe, anti-hypoxia, anti-diabetes, anti-oxidation, and nephroprotective activity. The present review mainly summarized the previous studies on the chemical compositions of turnip and the bioactivities associated with turnip. Further studies on the extraction and purification of compounds from a turnip as well as its potential molecular mechanisms are highly needed to utilize turnip as a functional food plant in a better way.

Targeted Metabolic and In-Silico Analyses Highlight Distinct Glucosinolates and Phenolics Signatures in Korean Rapeseed Cultivars

“…They can be divided into four major classes: terpenoids, and sulfur-containing compounds such as glucosinolates (GSLs), alkaloids, and phenolics [7,8]. Over recent decades, plant secondary metabolites such as GSLs have been gaining great interest because of their cancerpreventive properties for humans as well as their nutritional value [2,[9][10][11], which evoked the demand for the breeding of functional cultivars and industrial applications [12].…”

“…Human intake of these vegetables rich in the ITCs is known to help reduce the risk of cancer [18,19]. In addition, it is well-known that GSLs play a crucial role in the defense and survival system of the Brassicaceae [11,20], and it has been reported that GSLs might act as a sink for nutrients, such as nitrogen and sulfur [21][22][23]. Nonetheless, the physiological significance and mechanistic regulations of GSLs and their degradation products in many plants are not fully understood.…”

“…Phenolic compounds are widely present in many plant species and have an important role in plant defense responses [25,26]. In addition, the beneficial effects of phenolic compounds identified in the Brassicaceae are linked to the antioxidant activity that is used for human health and disease prevention [11,24,27]. Equivalent to those GSLs, the content and the pharmacological functions of the phenolic compounds depend on pre-and post-harvest factors, such as environmental and agronomic conditions, variety selection, maturity stage, and extraction procedures [28].…”

Metabolic diversity in a collection of wild and cultivated Brassica rapa subspecies

“…Glucosinolates and their breakdown products have been reported to reduce the risk of lung, colon, and other types of cancer ( Mandrich and Caputo, 2020 ). Phenolic compounds in plants possess potential health-promoting effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-obesity, and anti-tumour activities ( Cao et al, 2021 ).…”

Mechanism of A549 Cell Apoptosis and Immune Regulating Effect of BRNP on Tumor- bearing Mice

“…Polysaccharides in natural extracts are generally non-cytotoxic and have a variety of biological activities; they can activate immune cells and promote the secretion of cytokines, thereby regulating the immune system (Shinchi et The polysaccharide content in the water extract of turnips from Aksu Keping County, which had the best quality in Xinjiang, was as high as 11.53%. The water extract of turnip also had strong ability to scavenge free radicals (Cao et al 2021). Two homogeneous polysaccharides, namely, two Brassica rapa L. neutral polysaccharide (BRNP) and two Brassica rapa L. acid polysaccharides (BRAP), were isolated from the crude polysaccharides of turnip for the rst time by chromatography and spectroscopic techniques (Qiao et al 2020;Li et al 2021;Hairenguli et al 2020).…”