This family forms the climax group of the line specializing in glucosinolates (sulphur containing glucosides) and is a successful family with 3250 species belonging to 365 genera.
Distinguishing characters
Pungent herbs due to glucosinolates, erucic acid (a C22 fatty acid), 4 sepals and 4 petals in two opposite decussate pairs. Petals clawed, diagonally disposed forming a cross (hence the old name Cruciferae), stamens 6, tetradynamous, Gynoecium bicarpellary, unilocular, with two parietal placenta, ovary divided by a thin replum (unvasculated partition) connecting the two parietal placenta.
Fruit is a siliqua, valves falling away exposing the replum bearing the ovules.
Useful plants
A. Oils
1. Brassica (Latin name of Cabbage- 35spp.), yields a number of species yielding edible oil.
B. juncea L., B. nigra Koch. & B. napus yield edible oil – rape seed oil from seeds.All these oils contain a typical C22 unsturated ( at C13) fatty acid erucic acid (varies from 20-50%), oleic (20-23%), linoleic (15-20%), linolenic (l-3%), palmitic and lignoceric/behenic (1% each) acids. Based on the amount of erucic acid two types of oils aresourced
1) Canola oil and
2) Colza oil.
Canola oil
Canola oil is a vegetable oil derived from a variety of rapeseed that is low in erucic acid, as opposed to colza oil. Canola was bred from rapeseed cultivars of B. napus and B. Rapa.
Due to high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids inconclusive scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1 1⁄2 tablespoons (19 grams) of canola oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. This is generally used as an edible oil having “heating qualities” because of the sulphur containing isothiocyanates in cold countries.
Colza oil contains 40-50% erucic acid, obtained from the seeds of rapeseed (Brassica napus subsp. napus.
Colza is extensively cultivated in France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland.
This acid normally extracted by solvents and used as illuminants and in manufacturing high quality lubricants
B.Vegetables and spices
The numerous vegetables obtained from members of this family are rich in “Super antioxidants”, the glucosinolates.
These compounds are one of the best antioxidants which act "indirectly" to activate the body's own detoxification systems.
This cascade of antioxidant activity may cycle over and over, continuing to circulate in the body as many as 3 to 4 days after the glucosinolate-containing food has been consumed.
1. B. oleracea Linn.
yield a number of vegetables such as Brussels sprouts (var. gemmifera Zank.), cabbage (var. capitata Linn.) cauliflower (var. botrytis Linn), kale or collards (var.
acephala D.C.) and
Kohlrabi (var. gangylodes Linn.)
2. Armoracia (Greek name for horse raddish) –
A. lapathifolia Gilib, The thick roots, used as a condiment, possess a bitter taste and a characteristic pungent odour due to allyl isothiocyanate occurring free or as the glucoside, sinigrin.
3. Raphanus (Greek name for Radish) –
R. sativus Linn. yields raddish, a well-known vegetable.
4. Arabidopsis –
A. thaliana Heynh. is the subject of genetic research (2n = 10. Smallest knowngenome in vascular plants. Haploid 7 x 107 base pairs i.e., it is 50 times that in bacterium & 5times that in yeast. Life cycle completes in 1 month).
B. Medicinal plants
1. Armoracia rusticana Gaertn.
Horse raddish is used to treat bronchial conditions and urinary tract infections and externally applied as a counter irritant to treat rheumatism and inflammation.
Allyl isothiocyanate can form covalent bonds with proteins and this alter their activity.
They have
antimicrobial, spasmolytic, cytotoxic and skin irritant properties.
2. Capsella bursa –
pastoris Medic. (Mumiri, Shepherd’s purse)
This is a pubescent erect annual which is bitter, pungent, astringent,, antiscorbutic, febrifugal and emmenagogue properties and is substituted for Hydrastis.
This plant is a remedy for atrophy of limbs by rubbing the affected parts with an alcoholic solution of Capsella and Alchemilla vulgaris.
3. Lepidium sativum Linn. (Halim, Garden Cress)
This native of Ethiopia is a small herbaceous glabrous annual .
It is used for treating asthma, cough and bleeding piles.
Leaves are also used as a diuretic, for scorbutic diseases and liver complaints.
Seeds are rubefacient, galactogogue, emmenagogue, laxative, tonic, aphrodisiac and diuretic, Roots are used in syphilis and tenesmus.
C. Biopesticides
1. Brassica nigra Koch. & B. alba Hook.f. (Mustard)
The oil obtained from the seeds of various spp. of Brassica is the mustard oil (Rape or colza oil). This contains both fixed and volatile oils.
The pungent volatile oil of B. nigra contains allyl
isothiocyanates while the oil of the latter contains acrinyl isothiocyanate.
Mustard oil repels and kills insects, spiders and centipedes and used for indoor plants, ornamentals and garbage
cans.
2. Eruca sativa Mill (E. vesicaria- Taramira, Rocket Salad)
The glucosinolate extract (2%) from the leaves is reported to adversely affect the survival and development of nymphs, adult longevity, reproductive period and fecundity of mustard
aphid, Lipaphis erysimi.
D. Natural Dyes
1. Isatis tinctoria Linn.
(Woad)
Woad is a small biennial, the leaves of which yield an indigo like blue dye and is a native of Europe.
The fermented and dried leaves contain a compound Isatan-B which on hydrolysis yields indoxyl
and 5-ketogluconic acid.
Used as a substitute for indigo.
E. Biofuels
1. Brassica nigra Koch. & B. alba Hook.f.
The oil is an illuminant and the choice for PME in many countries
Mammen Daniel
