Allyl isothiocyanate

Other Names

1-Propene, 3-isothiocyanato-2-Propenyl isothiocyanate3-iso-Thiocyanatoprop-1-ene3-Isothiocyanato-1-propene3-Isothiocyanato-propene3-isothiocyanatoprop-1-ene3-isothiocyanatopropeneAITAITCalilisotiocianatoAllyl isorhodanideAllyl isosulfocyanateAllyl isosulphocyanateAllyl mustard oilAllyl senevolumAllyl thioisocyanateAllylsenevolAllylsenfoelAllylsevenolumAllylthiocarbimideIsothiocyanate d'allyleIsothiocyanic acid, allyl esterMustard oilNCI-C50464Oil of mustardOil of mustard, artificialOleum sinapisOleum sinapis volatilePropene, 3-isothiocyanato-RedskinSenfoelSynthetic mustard oilVolatile mustard oilVolatile oil of mustard

Synopsis

Allyl Isothiocyanate (AITC)

1. Identity: Chemical and Botanical Profile

Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) is an organosulfur compound that serves as the principal pungent bioactive constituent in several widely consumed cruciferous vegetables. AITC has the chemical formula C₄H₅NS and is a volatile organosulfur compound known for its sharp, pungent aroma and taste, serving as the primary bioactive agent in cruciferous vegetables such as mustard, horseradish, radish, and wasabi. This colorless to pale yellow oily liquid has a molecular weight of 99.16 g/mol, a boiling point of 151 °C, a melting point of −80 °C, a density of 1.013 g/mL at 25 °C, and limited water solubility of 2 g/L at 20 °C. Its CAS Registry Number is 57-06-7.

AITC carries numerous synonyms, including volatile oil of mustard, allyl mustard oil, 2-propenyl isothiocyanate, 3-isothiocyanato-1-propene, allyl thiocarbonimide, and oleum sinapis. It first appeared in the chemical literature in three 1890s articles about isothiocyanates by Augustus E. Dixon at Queen's College, Galway. At the time, AITC was called "allylthiocarbimide".

Natural Sources and Botanical Classification

AITC is a natural compound found in cruciferous vegetables (family Brassicaceae) such as horseradish, mustard, radish, and wasabi. To a lesser extent, AITC is also found in leafy vegetables of the Brassica genus such as cabbage.

Black mustard (Rhamphospermum nigrum, formerly Brassica nigra) and brown Indian mustard (Brassica juncea): AITC can be obtained from the seeds of these species, where the enzyme myrosinase acts on the glucosinolate sinigrin to give allyl isothiocyanate when the seeds are broken.
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana): AITC is found notably in horseradish. These plants belong to the Brassicaceae family, which also includes other pungent vegetables like mustard and cabbage.
Wasabi (Wasabia japonica): The chemical in wasabi that provides its initial pungency is the volatile compound allyl isothiocyanate, which is produced by hydrolysis of allyl glucosinolate; the hydrolysis reaction is catalyzed by myrosinase and occurs when the enzyme is released on cell rupture caused by partial maceration—e.g., grating—of the plant.

Comparative analysis of isothiocyanate content shows that horseradish contains 1.9 g total isothiocyanate/kg, whereas wasabi contains nearly 10% more (2.1 g/kg), with allyl isothiocyanate being the major component in both.

Biosynthesis and Precursor Glucosinolate

In nature, AITC is biosynthesized from the glucosinolate sinigrin through enzymatic hydrolysis by myrosinase, which is activated upon mechanical damage to plant tissues in the Brassicaceae family. This mechanism serves the plant as a defense against herbivores; since AITC is harmful to the plant itself, it is stored in the harmless form of the glucosinolate, separate from the myrosinase enzyme. When an animal chews the plant, allyl isothiocyanate is released, repelling the animal.

Common Forms and Preparations

AITC is encountered in several forms:

Volatile oil of mustard: AITC can be liberated by dry distillation of the seeds. The product obtained in this fashion is known as volatile oil of mustard.
Synthetic form: Commercially, it can also be synthesized via the reaction of allyl chloride with potassium thiocyanate, though natural extraction from mustard seeds remains a key source for food applications.
Food condiments: Outside of Japan, where fresh wasabi is hard to obtain, a powdered mixture of horseradish and mustard oil, known as kona wasabi, is used at a majority of sushi restaurants.
Mustard seed powder: Used in research and food applications as an AITC-delivering matrix, requiring the presence of myrosinase for full conversion of sinigrin.
Nanoparticle and encapsulated forms: Researchers have investigated microencapsulated and nanoparticle formulations to address AITC's high volatility and improve delivery stability.

2. Traditional and Historical Use

The plants that contain AITC have been used medicinally and culinarily across many cultures for centuries, long before the compound was chemically characterized.

Ancient Greece and Rome

Mustard was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for its digestive benefits and as a counterirritant. In ancient Greece and Rome, mustard plasters—made by mixing ground mustard seeds with water to release allyl isothiocyanate—were widely applied to the chest or back to alleviate respiratory congestion, colds, and bronchitis.

Medieval Europe

Early 20th-century research focused on mustard plasters, traditional poultices used in Europe to soothe chest congestion. Meanwhile, horseradish sauce was a staple in medieval English and German cuisines. Allyl isothiocyanate has been used in medicine as a rubefacient (counterirritant), in ointments, and in mustard plasters.

Traditional Asian Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine, wasabi and horseradish were used to treat various ailments, including respiratory issues. Traditional medicine systems, especially in Asia, have used mustard and related plants for digestive and respiratory health, indirectly supporting the inclusion of AITC-rich foods in the diet. Wasabi grows naturally in mountain streambeds, and the Japanese have cultivated it for more than a millennium.

Early Scientific Recognition

It was not until 1964 that AITC appeared in a biological study. Misao Kojima at Fukuoka University (Japan) identified it in dried wasabi (Wasabia japonica) roots. In the 20th century, AITC-containing preparations were also adopted in over-the-counter pharmaceutical products. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations allow the use of AITC as a food additive and active ingredient in certain drugs, and the FDA acknowledges that some over-the-counter drug products contain AITC as the active ingredient.

3. Key Constituents and Chemical Nature

AITC itself is the primary bioactive constituent under study. Its chemical reactivity underpins nearly all of its biological effects.

Chemical Reactivity

Because the carbon atom in the functional group N=C=S is strongly electrophilic, allyl isothiocyanate reacts easily with nucleophiles such as amino, hydroxyl, and thiol groups, β-dicarbonyl, and carboxylic acids to give thiocarbamate derivatives and other degradation products. Isothiocyanates are membrane-permeable electrophiles that form adducts with thiols and primary amines. Thiol-reactive compounds of diverse structure activate TRPA1 in a manner that relies on covalent modification of cysteine residues within the cytoplasmic N terminus of the channel.

Stability

Allyl isothiocyanate has long been shown to be unstable, gradually decomposing to compounds having a garlic-like odor in the presence of water at both room temperature and at 37 °C. It undergoes various chemical reactions such as hydrolysis, oxidation, thermal degradation, and reactions with proteins.

Plant Chemistry Context

Sinigrin and glucoraphanin are converted by the β-sulphoglucosidase myrosinase or the gut microbiota into their bioactive forms, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and sulforaphane (SFN), which constitute part of a sophisticated defense system plants developed over several hundred million years of evolution to protect them from parasitic attack from aphids, ticks, bacteria, or nematodes.

4. Mechanisms of Action

TRP Ion Channel Activation

The pungency and lachrymatory effect of AITC are mediated through the TRPA1 and TRPV1 ion channels. TRPA1 is activated by noxious cold, intracellular Ca²⁺, hypertonic solutions, and, most prominently, by numerous electrophilic compounds, including active ingredients of pungent natural products such as allyl isothiocyanate, environmental irritants such as acrolein, and endogenous molecules involved in pain, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

It was recently shown that AITC activates mouse and human TRPV1, especially in recording conditions that better resembled experimental settings in vivo. Consistent with these data, TRPV1 has a large relative role in several effects of AITC in vivo and ex vivo, including bladder irritation, calcitonin gene-related peptide release, and acute pain. Although it is generally accepted that electrophilic agents activate TRP channels through covalent modification of cytosolic cysteine residues, the mechanism underlying TRPV1 activation by AITC remains a subject of ongoing investigation.

Nrf2 Pathway Activation

The mode of action for the chemopreventive activity of AITC is attributed primarily to the detoxification of carcinogens through activation of nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2). AITC significantly increased phosphorylation of ERK1/2, an upstream target of Nrf2 in fibroblasts. ERK1/2 phosphorylation was accompanied by increased nuclear translocation and transactivation of Nrf2. AITC significantly enhanced mRNA and protein levels of the Nrf2 targets γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (γGCS), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1).

Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest

In preclinical models, AITC has been shown to induce apoptosis through mitochondrial pathways. AITC potently inhibited the proliferation of bladder carcinoma cell lines in vitro, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 2.7–3.3 μM, which was associated with profound G₂/M arrest and apoptosis. AITC is believed to have multiple apoptotic pathways to inhibit cancer cell metastasis and has therapeutic effects on human non-small cell lung cancer and prostate cancer via different mechanisms involving p53 gene expression.

Electrophilic and Nucleophilic Reactivity

Isothiocyanates are characterized by the presence of a –N=C=S group, whose central carbon atom is strongly electrophilic. This electrophilic nature enables ITC to readily bind to thiol and amino groups of amino acids, peptides, and proteins, forming conjugates, dithiocarbamate, and thiourea structures.

Antimicrobial Mechanisms

AITC is the main flavoring compound of wasabi, horseradish, and mustard and exhibits strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. Against Candida albicans specifically, allyl isothiocyanate completely inhibited ergosterol biosynthesis in C. albicans, undermining a critical component of the fungal cell membrane. AITC induced abnormal hyphal growth, electrolyte leakage, destruction of mycelial structure, and ROS accumulation, suggesting it has a universal, rapid, and destructive antifungal mechanism.

5. Scientific Evidence by Area of Use

5.1 Cancer Chemoprevention

Overview of evidence (preclinical): Based on in vitro experiments and animal models, allyl isothiocyanate exhibits many of the desirable attributes of a cancer chemopreventive agent. AITC inhibited the growth of various human cancer cell lines such as colorectal carcinoma, lung cancer, leukemia, breast adenocarcinoma, bladder cancer, neuroblastoma, hepatoma, and prostate cancer cells.

Important caveat: The body of evidence for AITC's anticancer properties is currently almost entirely in vitro and in animal models. No controlled clinical trials in human cancer patients have been identified in the published literature. The evidence is therefore preliminary and preclinical.

Bladder Cancer — The Most Studied Application

The bladder cancer application has the strongest mechanistic rationale of any cancer type, owing to a unique pharmacokinetic property. Available data suggest that urinary concentrations of AITC equivalent are at least 10 times higher than in the plasma, and tissue levels of AITC equivalent in the urinary bladder were 14–79 times higher than in other organs after oral AITC administration to rats. These findings suggest that AITC may be most effective in the bladder as a cancer chemopreventive compound.

In an orthotopic rat bladder cancer model, which mimics the development and recurrence of bladder cancer in humans, AITC significantly inhibited cancer growth and muscle invasion at the oral dose of 10 μmol/kg/day (approximately 1 mg/kg/day). AITC was recently shown to be selectively delivered to bladder cancer tissue via urinary excretion and to inhibit bladder cancer growth and muscle invasion in an animal model; AITC is excreted in urine mainly as N-acetyl-S-(N-allylthiocarbamoyl)cysteine, commonly known as the N-acetylcysteine conjugate (NAC-AITC).

Research into the urinary metabolite NAC-AITC has further shown that treatment of human bladder cancer UM-UC-3 cells or rat bladder cancer AY-27 cells with NAC-AITC at 15 μM results in significant inhibition of cell growth and proliferation, together with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis; and NAC-AITC administered orally at 10 μmol/kg body weight inhibits cancer growth by 40% and muscle invasion by 49% in an orthotopic rat bladder cancer model. AITC was found to be significantly less toxic to normal human bladder epithelial cells than to human bladder carcinoma cells and was selectively delivered to bladder cancer tissues through urinary excretion.

Several epidemiological studies have shown that consumption of cruciferous vegetables is significantly associated with reduced risk of bladder cancer. However, these epidemiological observations involve cruciferous vegetables broadly and cannot be attributed specifically to AITC.

Colorectal Cancer

AITC's chemo-preventive and anti-tumor effects are believed to be related to the activation of Nrf2. However, its anti-tumor effects on colorectal cancer (CRC) are not well elucidated. In a preclinical study using both human CRC cell line HCT116 and MC38 tumor-bearing mice, AITC treatment in a low concentration range (1 mg/kg in vivo) significantly inhibited tumor cell growth and increased the expression of p21 and Nrf2, with the AITC-mediated induction of p21 being dependent on Nrf2 but independent on p53. In contrast, a high dose of AITC (5 mg/kg in vivo) failed to increase substantial levels of p21/MdmX and impaired the total antioxidant capacity of tumors and subsequent anti-tumor effect in vivo. This biphasic dose-response is a notable complexity in the pharmacology of AITC.

Breast Cancer (Animal Model)

In an investigation of the effect of AITC on the liver detoxification signaling pathway in DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats, oral administration of AITC restored the levels of biochemical markers in DMBA-treated rats, histopathological results confirmed that AITC protects against DMBA-mediated hepatocellular damage, and AITC treatment significantly downregulates AhR and upregulates the expression of Nrf2 in DMBA-treated rats. This is a rodent model study; human evidence is absent.

5.2 Antimicrobial Activity

In vitro experiments with purified AITC have demonstrated therapeutic utility as an antimicrobial against a range of clinically important bacteria and fungi. AITC is a volatile and aliphatic sulfur-containing compound that exhibits strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi.

Antifungal studies have focused particularly on Candida albicans. AITC alone and in combination with the standard antifungal fluconazole successfully inhibits the growth and virulence factors of C. albicans. Furthermore, AITC at its planktonic and biofilm inhibitory concentration was non-hemolytic in nature. Hence, it can be used as an alternative therapeutic option for the treatment of candidiasis.

In food science applications, allyl isothiocyanate was found to inhibit the growth of yeast, mold, and bacteria at very low levels, including molds from the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium. AITC vapor is also used as an antimicrobial and shelf life extender in food packaging.

Evidence strength: Antimicrobial evidence is largely from in vitro and food science studies. No clinical human trials on AITC as an antimicrobial therapeutic agent have been identified.

5.3 Pain Sensation and Neurogenic Inflammation (TRP Channel Pharmacology)

AITC is widely used experimentally as an inducer of acute pain and neurogenic inflammation, which are largely mediated by the activation of nociceptive cation channels TRPA1 and TRPV1. AITC is a powerful irritant produced by Brassica plants as a defensive trait against herbivores.

The powerful plant-derived irritant AITC induces hyperalgesia to heat in rodents and humans through mechanisms that are not yet fully understood. Because AITC is a well-established activator of TRPA1 in sensory neurons, it has been extensively used as a research tool to investigate pain pathways, but its role as a therapeutic analgesic is not supported by clinical data.

Research into TRPA1's vascular role has found that TRPA1 channels may have a role in migraine, as some substances known to cause headache activate the channel. In the craniovascular system, such activation causes a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-dependent increase in meningeal blood flow.

Evidence strength: AITC is a well-validated experimental tool in pain neuroscience. Its mechanistic role in TRPA1/TRPV1 signaling is well-established in preclinical models. There is no clinical trial evidence supporting its therapeutic use for pain or inflammatory conditions.

5.4 Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activity

AITC has sparked widespread interest due to its various biological actions, which include strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anticancer capabilities. The antioxidant mechanism is largely indirect, mediated through Nrf2 activation and upregulation of phase II detoxification enzymes, rather than through direct free radical scavenging.

Evidence strength: The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of AITC are documented in cell culture and animal studies. Human clinical evidence is absent.

5.5 Metabolic Effects (Obesity and Glucose Regulation)

In the last decade, the role of TRPA1 agonism in body weight reduction, secretion of hunger and satiety hormones, insulin secretion, and thermogenesis has unveiled the potential of the TRPA1 channel to be used as a preventive target to tackle obesity and associated comorbidities including insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. Studies suggest that TRPA1 and TRPV1 may have a potential modulatory effect on ghrelin and/or glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion leading to reduced appetite.

Evidence strength: Preliminary; largely mechanistic or animal-based. No controlled human trials attributing metabolic benefits specifically to AITC have been identified.

5.6 Food Preservation

AITC offers promising potential in several fields, particularly in food preservation and enhancing food quality through natural means. As a natural component of oil of mustard, AITC has been granted GRAS status by the US FDA. This application area has the most mature and well-supported evidence, with established real-world usage in several countries.

6. Bioavailability and Metabolism

Bioavailability of AITC is extremely high, as nearly 90% of orally administered AITC is absorbed. AITC absorbed in vivo is metabolized mainly through the mercapturic acid pathway and excreted in urine.

Isothiocyanates are primarily metabolized in vivo through the mercapturic acid pathway, giving rise to dithiocarbamates (mainly N-acetylcysteine conjugates) that are excreted and concentrated in urine. More than 90% of urinary excretion of AITC equivalents (AITC plus its dithiocarbamate metabolites) occurred within 24 hours of AITC dosing in rats.

AITC is primarily metabolized through the mercapturic acid pathway in vivo. Initial conjugation of the –N=C=S group with the cysteine thiol of glutathione gives rise to the corresponding conjugate, which is further metabolized successively to the cysteinylglycine conjugate and the cysteine conjugate.

A critical and pharmacologically unique finding is the selective accumulation of AITC and its metabolites in bladder tissue: the exceptional potency of AITC against cancer in the bladder is explained by the discovery that AITC is selectively delivered to the bladder through urinary excretion.

Allyl isothiocyanate has long been shown to be unstable, gradually decomposing to compounds having garlic-like odor in the presence of water at both room temperature and at 37 °C, which creates formulation challenges for pharmaceutical and supplement applications.

7. Dosage Forms and Dosages Reported in Studies

No established clinical therapeutic dose has been validated in human trials. The following doses are reported in preclinical studies only, as stated in the source literature:

Bladder cancer model (rat, oral): In an orthotopic rat bladder cancer model, AITC significantly inhibited cancer growth and muscle invasion at the oral dose of 10 μmol/kg/day (approximately 1 mg/kg/day).
NAC-AITC metabolite (rat, oral): NAC-AITC administered orally at 10 μmol/kg body weight inhibits cancer growth by 40% and muscle invasion by 49% in an orthotopic rat bladder cancer model.
Colorectal cancer model (mouse, in vivo): AITC treatment in a low concentration range (1 mg/kg in vivo) significantly inhibited tumor cell growth and increased the expression of p21 and Nrf2. In contrast, the high dose of AITC (5 mg/kg in vivo) failed to increase substantial levels of p21/MdmX and impaired the total antioxidant capacity of tumors.
In vitro bladder cancer cells: Treatment of human bladder cancer UM-UC-3 cells with NAC-AITC at 15 μM results in significant inhibition of cell growth and proliferation, together with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.
EFSA regulatory reference point: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) for allyl isothiocyanate of 0.02 mg/kg body weight per day.
Antifungal (in vitro): In a silkworm/Candida model, AITC at 0.125 mg/ml was used in the test group.

Challenges related to AITC's volatility, dosage optimization, and regulatory considerations are acknowledged in the literature, alongside future research directions to enhance the stability and efficacy of AITC-based formulations.

8. Body Systems and Health Areas of Association

Urinary/Bladder: Preclinical evidence specifically implicates the bladder as the primary target organ due to selective urinary concentration of AITC and its metabolites.
Oncology (general): In vitro and animal evidence across colorectal, lung, prostate, breast, bladder, and hepatic cancer models.
Sensory/Neurological: AITC is a well-validated agonist of TRPA1 and TRPV1, channels central to nociception, thermosensation, and neurogenic inflammation.
Immune/Antimicrobial: Broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activity demonstrated in vitro.
Antioxidant/Cytoprotective: Activation of the Nrf2 pathway with upregulation of phase II detoxification enzymes.
Metabolic: Preliminary mechanistic evidence for effects on appetite hormones and insulin secretion via TRPA1 agonism.
Respiratory (historical/topical): Traditional use as a rubefacient and counterirritant for respiratory conditions, though no modern clinical trial evidence supports this use.

9. Safety Considerations and Known Interactions

Regulatory Status

As a natural component of oil of mustard, AITC has been granted GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status by the USFDA. FDA regulations allow the use of AITC as a food additive and as an active ingredient in certain drug products; AITC may be added to food as a synthetic flavoring substance or adjuvant if used in the minimum quantity to produce the intended effects in accordance with good manufacturing practice (21 CFR 172.515).

Irritant and Corrosive Properties

The compound strongly irritates skin and mucous membranes. Allyl isothiocyanate has an LD₅₀ of 151 mg/kg and is a lachrymator (similar to tear gas or mace). At the occupational or industrial level, toxic effects by skin contact and ingestion include vesicant properties causing burns; it is a lachrymator. High concentration inhalation may cause pneumonitis and pulmonary edema. Reported occupational adverse effects are cutaneous allergy and severe respiratory tract irritation; the threshold for respiratory irritation is approximately 4 ppm.

Acute Toxicity

A single administration of the compound in corn oil by gavage caused growth retardation and dose-related, non-specific signs of toxicity at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg bw in rats and 100–800 mg/kg bw in mice.

Carcinogenicity Findings in Rodents at High Doses

A critical, dose-dependent safety concern established in animal carcinogenicity studies must be noted. In mice, no increase in the incidence of tumours was observed. An increased incidence of epithelial hyperplasia and transitional-cell papillomas of the urinary bladder was observed in male rats only, and some subcutaneous fibrosarcomas occurred in female rats given the high dose. This is a paradox noted in the literature: at low doses AITC appears chemopreventive in the bladder, while at very high doses it was tumorigenic in the rat bladder in IARC carcinogenicity studies. An increased but low incidence of transitional-cell hyperplasia and papillomas of the urinary bladder was observed in male rats, and there was a low incidence of subcutaneous fibrosarcomas in female rats given the high dose.

Dose-Dependent Biphasic Effects

AITC has been shown to have a biphasic effect on cell viability, DNA damage, and migration in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. In a 3D co-culture model, it inhibited tube formation at high doses but promoted it at low doses, confirming its biphasic effect on angiogenesis. The colorectal cancer research similarly found that an optimal dose of AITC is important and required for proper Nrf2 activation and its anti-CRC effects.

Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity (Animal Data)

Animal studies have shown adverse reproductive and fetal effects including fetotoxicity in subcutaneous rat studies. These findings are from animal studies, and their relevance to dietary human exposure has not been established.

Skin Sensitization

AITC may cause skin sensitization, and allergic contact dermatitis from allyl isothiocyanate has been reported in occupational settings.

Drug and Food Interactions

AITC may be used in nasal decongestant drug products as well as commercially available fever blister and cold sore treatments per FDA regulations. No well-characterized pharmacokinetic drug interactions with AITC have been established in the published human literature as of the time of this article. However, given AITC's reactivity with thiol and amino groups of proteins, theoretical interactions with thiol-containing drugs (e.g., N-acetylcysteine, captopril) and cysteine-rich systems are plausible from a chemical standpoint.

Food Packaging and Agricultural Use

Synthetic allyl isothiocyanate is used as an insecticide, as an anti-mold agent, bacteriocide, and nematicide, and is used in certain cases for crop protection. In Japan, the use of AITC from natural sources is allowed, and it is classified as safe by the FDA of the United States.

References

Health Conditions

Health conditions that Allyl isothiocyanate may help support.

Sinus & Nasal CongestionScientific
Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), the TRPA1-active pungent compound from mustard and horseradish, is explicitly covered in US Patent 5,248,504 for treatment of nasal and sinus dysfunction including allergic and vasomotor rhinitis. It stimulates mucociliary secretion and exhibits antimicrobial activity against sinus infection-associated bacteria. The licensed German preparation Angocin (containing AITC-precursor sinigrin from horseradish) has been clinically evaluated for acute sinusitis.

Body Systems

Body systems that Allyl isothiocyanate may help support.

No body systems available.