Camelina sativa glucosinolate fraction: NMR characterization and effect on human colon cell lines

Glucosinolates (GLs) are trending molecules in vegetable-based supplements and in recent years they gained importance in diet due to their antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. Usually species belonging to Brassicaceae contain high concentrations of one or a few GLs; among these plants Camelina sativa is known for its specific GLs, namely glucocamelinin and glucoarabinin. The aim of this work was to valorize oil-cakes, a by-product derived from the pressing process of C. sativa seeds for food applications, given the presence of GLs, a class of metabolites known to be active against tumor cells. Selective extraction for GLs was performed by methanolic and aqueous extractions through maceration processes. After purification through Solid Phase Extraction columns, HPLC analysis was performed on all samples. GLs were the most abundant molecules in the extracts (1.5 mg/mL) as shown by NMR analysis, with small traces of residual lipids; proteins were not found by Bradford assay. Human colon cell lines (healthy CCD841, cancer E705 and CaCo2) were chosen to test the effects of GLs on viability through the MTT assay. First results did not show a considerable effect, but a higher concentration of GLs induced a noticeable selective effect on viability between healthy and cancer cells. Activity of enzymes involved in glutathione metabolism such as glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and enzymes responsible for reactive oxygen species detoxification, such as catalase and superoxide dismutase will be performed through spectrophotometric assays, to evaluate cellular changes in response to a stress that does not induce significant alteration in the cellular viability.