isothiocyanates
Isothiocyanates are pungent, sulfur-containing compounds (R−N=C=S) released when plant tissues are damaged and enzymes called myrosinases break down precursor molecules known as glucosinolates. In plants, this reaction serves as a potent chemical defense system, deterring herbivores and pathogens while also giving certain crops their characteristic sharp flavor. Researchers study these compounds to understand plant defense signaling and to explore their potential health-promoting properties in the human diet.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-07-09
PEITC, a natural compound found in cruciferous plants like watercress and horseradish, blocks a key inflammatory chain reaction in brain immune cells activated by viral-like signals. In both cell cultures and mice, it reduced damaging inflammation and guided immune cells toward a protective, healing state.
PEITC pre-treatment significantly reduced pro-inflammatory markers including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and nitric oxide in microglial cells stimulated with a viral mimic (poly I:C)
PEITC suppressed TLR3, NF-κB (p65), MAPK, and JAK/STAT signaling pathways while boosting TRAF3, a key promoter of antiviral defense
In mice with induced neuroinflammation, PEITC reduced Iba1 expression and shifted microglia from the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype to the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype
