• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2002

Cyanogenic glycosides are secondary plant metabolites that are known as plant defense chemicals. They are found in cassava, bamboo, flax, and other plants. In this paper, the role of cyanogenic glycosides, their characteristics, and their interactions with insects are discussed. Previous and current research in our laboratory found that several natural and synthetic cyanohydrins were effective against stored-product insects as fumigants. Due to their insecticidal activity to insects, cyanohydrins can be used as an alternative fumigant and also as soil fumigants. Risk assessment, however, should be done to account for possible environmental problems, non-target wildlife effects, and human health effects.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2009

Some of the edible plants like apricot kernel, flaxseed, and cassava generate hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when cyanogenic glycosides are hydrolyzed. Rhodanese (thiosulfate: cyanide sulfurtransferases of TSTs; EC: 2.8.1.1) is a sulfide-detoxifying enzymes that converts cyanides into thiocyanate and sulfite. This enzyme exists in a liver and kidneys in abundance. The present study is to evaluate the conversion of apricot cyanogenic glycosides into thiocyanate by human hepatic (HepG2) and colonal (HT-29) cells, and the induction of the enzymes in the rat. The effects of short term exposure of amygdalin to rats have also been investigated. Cytosolic, mitochondrial, and microsomal fractions from HepG2 and HT-29 cells and normal male Spraque-Dawley rats were used. When apricot kernel extract was used as substrate, the rhodanese activity in liver cells was higher than the activity in colon cells, both from established human cell line or animal tissue. The cytosolic fractions showed the highest rhodanese activity in all of the cells, exhibiting two to three times that of microsomal fractions. Moreover, the cell homogenates could metabolize apricot extract to thiocyanate suggesting cellular hydrolysis of cyanogenic glycoside to cyanide ion, followed by a sulfur transfer to thiocyanate. After the consumption of amygdalin for 14 days, growth of rats began to decrease relative to that of the control group though a significant change in thyroid has not been observed. The resulting data support the conversion to thiocyanate, which relate to the thyroid dysfunction caused by the chronic dietary intake of cyanide. Because Korean eats a lot of Brassicaceae vegetables such as Chinese cabbage and radish, the results of this study might indicate the involvement of rhodanese in prolonged exposure of cyanogenic glycosides.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 1985

Phytotron and field experiments were conducted to determine the influence of morphological growth stage and environmental temperature on synthesis and accumulation pattern of cyanogenic glycosides in sorghum cv. Pioneer 931 and Sioux at Munich technical university from 1979 to 1980. Various growth stages of sorghum plants were grown in phytotron at 4 different temperature regimes of 30/25, 25/20, 28/18 and 18/8 degree C with 35,000 Lux over 13-h days. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. Cyanogenic glycosides in sorghum plants were shown to have a great synthetic rate at early growth stages. The highest concentrations of hydrocyanic acid (HCN) were found at 2-leaf stage with 2384 and 1800ppm (DM basis) for Pioneer 931 and Sioux respectively. The contents of HCN were, however, however decreased markedly as morphological development, which shows a value of 173ppm (Pioneer 931) and 70ppm (Sioux) at heading stages. 2. Changes of hydrocyanic acid in sorghum plants were positive correlated with leaf weight ratio and leaf area ratio ($P{\leqq}0.1%$), while plant height shows a negative correlation with HCN contents ($P{\leqq}0.1%$). 3. Cyanogenic glycosides were accumulated in young plants mainly in leaves. During the late maturities, the contents of HCN in leaves and stalks were shown, however, a similar distribution. 4. Synthesis rates of cyanogenic glycosides were increased under high temperature. Accumulated hydrocyanic acid in the plants was, however declined when temperature exceeded 30 degree C. 5. Synthesis rates of cyanogenic glycosides were affected by nitrogen reductase activity (NRA). The concentration of hydrocyanic acid in sorghum plants was associated with increasing of nitrate-N accumulation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2013

Cyanogenic glycosides are HCN-producing phytotoxins; HCN is a powerful and a rapidly acting poison. It is not difficult to find plants containing these compounds in the food supply and/or in medicinal herb collections. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of total cyanide in nine genera (Dolichos, Ginkgo, Hordeum, Linum, Phaseolus, Prunus, Phyllostachys, Phytolacca, and Portulaca) of edible plants and the effect of the processing on cyanide concentration. Total cyanide content was measured by ion chromatography following acid hydrolysis and distillation. Kernels of Prunus genus are used medicinally, but they possess the highest level of total cyanide of up to 2259.81 $CN^-$/g dry weight. Trace amounts of cyanogenic compounds were detected in foodstuffs such as mungbeans and bamboo shoots. Currently, except for the WHO guideline for cassava, there is no global standard for the allowed amount of cyanogenic compounds in foodstuffs. However, our data emphasize the need for the guidelines if plants containing cyanogenic glycosidesare to be developed as dietary supplements.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.317-321
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• 2007

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Lotus ornithopodioloides L. resulted in the isolation of six known compounds. The structures were determined utilizing physical, chemical, spectral methods as well as direct comparison with reference materials whenever possible. The compounds were identified as: ${\beta}$-sitosterol; the two triterpenes oleanolic and betulinic acids; the two cyanogenic glycosides lotaustralin and linamarin in addition to the flavonol diglycoside kaempferitin.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.146-152
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• 1987

Sorghum cv. Pioneer 93 1, sorghum-sudangrass hybrid cv. Sioux and maize plant cv. Blizzard were assayed for toxic concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen ($NO_3$-N) and their relationship to morphological characteristics and environmental temperature in a field and phytotron trial. In the phytotron, sorghum and maize plants ranging from emergence to heading stage, were grown under different day/night temperatures of 30125, 25/20,28/18 and 1818 degree C. Nitrate-nitrogen in sorghum and maize plants was accumulated mainly in stems. Therefore nitrate concentration in the young plants was increased as development of stalks advanced and was highest at the stage of 3-4 leaves, when the plants had a leaf weight ratio 0.78-0.80 g/g plant weight. However, nitrate concentrations of the plant decreased as morphological development progressed, especially from the stage of growing point differentiation. Correlation coefficients showed a positive correlation of nitrate concentration with leaf weight ratio, leaf area ratio and specific leaf area, while plant height, dry matter percentage and absolute growth rate showed a negative association with TEX>$NO_3$-N ($P{\le}0.1$%). Cyanogenic glycosides, total nitrogen and crude protein were close associated with nitrate accumulation, and positively significant ($P{\le}0.1$%). High temperature over 30/25^{\circ}C.$ for 3 weeks increased N-uptake and dry matter accumulation, but reduced nitrate concentration. Under cold temperature below 18/8^{\circ}C.$ concentration of nitrate-N was increased in spite of its limited nitrogen uptake and plant growth.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.274-280
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• 2014

Six compounds were isolated from the n-BuOH fraction of the aerial parts of Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus including: sambunigrin (1), prunasin (2), aruncide A (3), aruncide C (4), 1-O-caffeoyl-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranose (5), and caffeic acid (6). Their structures were confirmed by comparing the spectral data with those reported in the literature. The isolated compounds (1 - 6) were then examined for their cytotoxic effects towards MCF-7, HL-60, and HeLa cancer cell lines, as well as their DPPH radical scavenging activity. The results indicated that compound 4 possessed the strongest inhibitory effect toward HeLa cell line with $IC_{50}$ value of $5.38{\pm}0.92{\mu}M$. Compound 3 possessed selective cytotoxic activity on HL-60 cells with $IC_{50}$ value of $6.27{\pm}0.17{\mu}M$, compound 5 was found as the best in inhibiting proliferation with $IC_{50}$ value of $2.25{\pm}0.09{\mu}M$, and the other compounds showed significant inhibition with $IC_{50}$ values ranging from 6.10 to $11.27{\mu}M$. Compound 5 also displayed the strongest cytotoxic effect toward MCF-7 cell line ($IC_{50}$ $4.32{\pm}0.15{\mu}M$). Both 5 and 6 demonstrated strong radical scavenging activity ($IC_{50}$ $6.87{\pm}0.03$ and $4.33{\pm}0.22{\mu}M$, respectively). Compounds 1 and 5 were isolated for the first time from this plant.