Abstract:Epidemiological studies have shown that cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and radish possess effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and cardiovascular disease-preventing functions, mainly because such vegetables are rich in glucosinolates (which are hydrolyzed to isothiocyanates after the vegetable is chopped or chewed). Sulforaphane and sulforaphene are natural isothiocyanate compounds with the highest anticancer activities. In this paper, the extraction and purification methods of sulforaphane and sulforaphene from several main vegetables and seeds of Raphanus sativus and Brassica oleracea are described, with the emphasis on the solvent extraction method and modern extraction techniques for sulforaphane and sulforaphene. Quantitative analysis methods for sulforaphane and sulforaphene such as the 1,2-benzenedithiol (BDT) colorimetric method, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography (UPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) are compared. The advantages and disadvantages of open column chromatography, solid phase microextraction (SPE), high speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) and preparative liquid chromatography are analyzed.Various extraction, detection, separation and purification methods are then analyzed and summarized. The future development trends of the extraction and purification technologies for sulforaphane and sulforaphene are also discussed, so as to provide a theoretical reference for the processing, utilization and nutrient preservation technologies of cruciferous vegetables such as radish.
