Bioactive Compounds of Cabbage and their Roles in the Modulation of Livestock Productivity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21534966Keywords:
Bioactive compound, Cole crop, Herbal Medicine, Vitamins and minerals, White CabbageAbstract
White cabbage is a nutritionally rich cruciferous vegetable containing numerous bioactive compounds with significant biological activities. Besides its traditional use as a food crop, cabbage has gained attention as a natural phytogenic feed additive due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and metabolic regulatory properties. Major bioactive constituents of cabbage powder include glucosinolates, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, vitamins, essential minerals and amino acids. Following tissue disruption, glucosinolates are hydrolysed by myrosinase into biologically active isothiocyanates, which enhance antioxidant defence systems, reduce oxidative stress and modulate inflammatory pathways. Flavonoids and phenolic compounds act as potent free radical scavengers, stabilize cell membranes, improve immune responses and protect against lipid peroxidation, whereas vitamins and minerals support immune function and reproductive performance. Collectively, these bioactive compounds contribute to improved antioxidant status, gastrointestinal health, nutrient utilization, detoxification, metabolic efficiency and disease resistance. Normally, 30-40% of cabbage is not used as human food and get wasted. Owing to these functional properties, cabbage powder represents a promising, sustainable phytogenic feed additive for livestock.
References
Abu, T., Ezea, B. O., Yusuf, S. A., Bamidele, O. O., Sidiq, L. O., Yusuf, A. O., and Ogbole, O. O. 2024. Phytochemicals, proximate and elemental analysis, antioxidant and cytotoxic potentials of purple (Capitata F. rubra) and green (Capitata Linn.) Brassica oleraceae (cabbage). Journal of pharmacy and bioresources. 21(2): 74-86.
Agerbirk, N., De Vos, M., Kim, J.H., Jander, G. 2009. Indole glucosinolate breakdown and its biological effects. Phytochemistry Reviews.8(1):101.
Ansari P, Samia JF, Khan JT, Rafi MR, Rahman MS, Rahman, AB, Abdel-Wahab YHA, Seidel V. 2023. Protective Effects of Medicinal Plant-Based Foods against Diabetes: A Review on Pharmacology, Phytochemistry, and Molecular Mechanisms. Nutrients. 15(14):3266. doi:10.3390/nu15143266.
FAOSTAT .2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
Gangadhar, B. N., Ancy, J., Janakiranaiah, N., and Umapathy, C. 1993. P300 amplitude in non-bipolar, melancholic depression. Journal of affective disorders. 28(1): 57-60.
Haghighi, M., Barzegar Sadeghabad, A., and Abolghasemi, R. 2022. Effect of exogenous amino acids application on the biochemical, antioxidant, and nutritional value of some leafy cabbage cultivars. Scientific Reports. 12(1):17720.
Higdon, J. V., Delage, B., Williams, D. E., and Dashwood, R. H. 2007. Cruciferous vegetables and human cancer risk: Epidemiologic evidence and mechanistic basis. Pharmacological Research, 55(3): 224–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2007.01.009
Jahangir, M., Kim, H. K., Choi, Y. H., and Verpoorte, R. 2009. Health-affecting compounds in Brassicaceae. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 8(2):31–43. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-4337.2009.00065.x
Koss‐Mikołajczyk, I., Kusznierewicz, B., Wiczkowski, W., Płatosz, N., and Bartoszek, A. 2019. Phytochemical composition and biological activities of differently pigmented cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) varieties. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 99(12): 5499-5507.
Krinsky, N. I., and Johnson, E. J. 2005. Carotenoid actions and their relation to health and disease. Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 26(6): 459–516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mam.2005.10.001.
Makki, K., Deehan, E. C., Walter, J., and Bäckhed, F. 2018. The impact of dietary fiber on gut microbiota in host health and disease. Cell Host and Microbe. 23(6): 705–715.
Park, S., Arasu, M.V., Lee, M.K., Chun, J.H., Seo, J.M., Lee, S.W., Kim, S.J. 2014. Quantification of glucosinolates, anthocyanins, free amino acids, and vitamin C in inbred lines of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.). Food chemistry. 145:77-85.
Podsedek, A. (2007). Natural antioxidants and antioxidant capacity of Brassica vegetables: A review. Food Science and Technology. 40(1): 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2005.07.023
Podsędek, A. 2007. Natural antioxidants and antioxidant capacity of Brassica vegetables: A review. Food Science and Technology. 40(1):1-11.
Reist, M., Koller, A., Busato, A., Kupfer, U., and Blum, J. W. 2000. First ovulation and ketone body status in the early postpartum period of dairy cows. Theriogenology. 54(5): 685-701.
Šamec, D., Pavlović, I., Salopek-Sondi, B. 2017. White cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba): botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological overview. Phytochemistry reviews. 16(1):117-135.
Sathe, A., Barman, S., Deb, H., & Mandal, D. K. (2026). Effect of Cabbage Leaves As Supplemental Feeding on.
Sikorska-Zimny, K., and Beneduce, L. 2021. The glucosinolates and their bioactive derivatives in Brassica: A review on classification, biosynthesis and content in plant tissues, fate during and after processing, effect on the human organism and interaction with the gut microbiota. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 61(15):2544-2571.
Ștefan I, Ona A. 2020. Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.). Overview of the health benefits and therapeutic uses. Hop and Medicinal Plants. 28(1-2):150-169.
Volden, J., Wicklund, T., Verkerk, R., Dekker, M. 2008. Kinetics of changes in glucosinolate concentrations during long-term cooking of white cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. ssp. capitata f. alba). Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. 56(6):2068-2073.
Windisch, W., Schedle, K., Plitzner, C., and Kroismayr, A. 2008. Use of phytogenic products as feed additives for swine and poultry. Journal of Animal Science. 86(14 Suppl.), E140–E148.
Yao X, Jiang H, Li YH, Gao Q, Xu YN, Kim NH, 2019. Kaempferol alleviates the reduction of developmental competence during ageing of porcine oocytes. Animal Science Journal.90 (11):1417–25.
Zhang, S., Jiang, S., Deng, N., Zheng, B., Li, T., and Liu, R. H. 2022. Phytochemical profiles, antioxidant activity and antiproliferative mechanism of Rhodiola rosea L. phenolic extract. Nutrients. 14(17): 3602.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sourav Barman, D. K. Mandal, Hridita Deb, Martha Pasar, Ayushi Sathe, Debarghya Paul
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
