Volatile glucosinolate breakdown products and the essential oil of Descurainia sophia (L.) webb ex Prantl (Brassicaceae)

Abstract

Volatile constituents obtained by autolysis of aerial and underground parts of D. sophia and the essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of whole plant samples were analyzed in detail by GC and GC-MS. In total, 71 constituents were identified, accounting for more than 90% of the total peak areas in the chromatograms. Both aerial and underground autolysates contained considerable amounts of lignan arctigenin and cuticular wax compounds. The essential oil was dominated by glucosinolate breakdown product 4-pentenenitrile. Glucosinolate degradation products identified in the essential oil and autolysates, 3-butenyl isothiocyanate, 4-pentenenitrile and allyl isothiocyanate, suggested the presence of gluconapin and sinigrin in this species as the most likely “mustard oil” precursors.