Antigenotoxicity and Tumor Growing Inhibition by Leafy Brassica carinata and Sinigrin

Cruciferous vegetables are well known and worldwide consumed due to their health benefits and cancer prevention properties. As a desirable cruciferous plant, Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) and its glucosinolate sinigrin were tested in the in vivo Drosophila melanogaster (SMART) and the in vitro EIL60 (human promyelocytic leukaemia cell line) systems. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of plant samples confirmed the presence of sinigrin as principal B. carinata glucosinolate. SMART was performed by feeding D. melanogaster larvae either with different concentrations of plant/compound samples or combining them with hydrogen peroxide (a potent oxidative mutagen) being both antimutagenics. EIL60 assays showed the tumoricidal activity of plant samples (IC50 = 0.28 mg.mL(-1)) and the breakdown products of sinigrin hydrolysis (IC50 = 2.71 mu M). Our results enhance the potential of B. carinata as health promoter and chemopreventive in both systems and the leading role of sinigrin in these effects.