Chemical Properties
Pale yellowish liquid; strong, penetrating aroma.
Chemical Properties
clear yellow liquid
Occurrence
Reported found in common cress, Lepidium sativum, nasturtium, and Tropaeolum majus.
Uses
Benzyl isothiocyanate has been used in the preparation of S-(N-benzylthiocarbamoyl)-L-glutathione and S-(N-benzylthiocarbamoyl)-L-cysteine.
Uses
antineoplastic, antibacterial, antifungal
Uses
A novel medical application of isothiocyanate ester in treating various leukemia, with low toxicity, which includes benzyl isothiocyanate, phenylethyl isothiocyanate, allyl isothiocyanate, sulforaphane, and erucin. Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) inhibits the growth of human pancreatic cancer cells by inducing apoptosis.
Definition
ChEBI: Benzyl isothiocyanate is an isothiocyanate and a member of benzenes. It has a role as an antibacterial drug.
Aroma threshold values
Medium strength odor, watercress type; recommend smelling in a 1.0% solution or less.
General Description
Benzyl isothiocyanate is a naturally-occurring constituent of cruciferous vegetables. It has antibacterial properties and its metabolism in man has been investigated. It inhibits chemically induced cancer in animal models.
Hazard
Very irritant to tissues.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Odor at 1.0%: Vegetative cabbage and radishlike, green with a musty sulfurous earthiness reminiscent of mustard greens.Taste at 0.5ppm: Green vegetative cabbage, kimchi, radish and wasabi-like with green leafy nuances and imparting a strong trigeminal tongue numbing and raspy sensation.
Safety Profile
Poison by intraperitoneal andsubcutaneous routes. Intensely irritating. Mutation datareported. Moderate fire hazard via heat, flame, andoxidizers. To fight fire, use water, spray, foam, drychemical. When heated to decomposition it emits verytoxic NOx
