Phenolic compounds and glucosinolates are secondary plant metabolites that play fundamental roles in plant resistance to abiotic stress. These compounds have been found to increase in stress situations related to plant adaptive capacity. This review assesses the functions of phenolic compounds and glucosinolates in plant interactions involving abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, high temperature, metals toxicity, and mineral deficiency or excess. Furthermore, their relation with water uptake and transport mediated through aquaporins is reviewed. In this way, the increases of phenolic compounds and glucosinolate synthesis have been related to primary responses to abiotic stress and induction of resistance. Thus, their metabolic pathways, root exudation, and external application are related to internal cell and tissue movement, with a lack of information in this latter aspect.

Phenolic compounds represent a group of secondary metabolites that serve essential functions in plants. Beyond their positive impact on plants, these phenolic metabolites, often referred to as polyphenols, possess a range of biological properties that can promote skin health. Scientific research indicates that topically using phenolics derived from plants can be advantageous, but their activity and stability highly depend on storage of the source material and the extraction method. These compounds have the ability to relieve symptoms and hinder the progression of different skin diseases. Because they come from natural sources and have minimal toxicity, phenolic compounds show potential in addressing the causes and effects of skin aging, skin diseases, and various types of skin damage, such as wounds and burns. Hence, this review provides extensive information on the particular crops from which by-product phenolic compounds can be sourced, also emphasizing the need to conduct research according to proper plant material storage practices and the choice of the best extracting method, along with an examination of their specific functions and the mechanisms by which they act to protect skin.

Phenolic compounds represent a group of secondary metabolites that serve essential functions in plants. Beyond their positive impact on plant, these phenolic metabolites, often referred to as polyphenols, possess a range of biological properties that can promote skin health. Scientific research indicates that using phenolics derived from plants topically can be advantageous, but the activity and stability highly depend on storage of the source material and the extract method. These compounds have the ability to relieve symptoms and hinder the progression of different skin diseases. Because they come from natural sources and have minimal toxicity, phenolic compounds show potential in addressing the causes and effects of skin aging, skin diseases, and various types of skin damage, such as wounds and burns. Hence, this review provides an extensive information of the particular crops from which by-product phenolic compounds can be sourced, but pointing the need investigation according to a proper storage plant material and the choice of the best extracting method, along with an examination of their specific functions and the mechanisms by which they act to protect skin.

The use of plant-based biostimulants is a sustainable strategy to enhance crop growth while mitigating the environmental impact of synthetic agrochemicals. Broccoli by-products, rich in bioactive compounds, have emerged as a promising resource, though their composition is influenced by plant growing conditions. This study investigates the biostimulant potential of broccoli-derived extracts obtained from leaves, stems, and petioles of plants cultivated in three different seasons (autumn, winter, and spring) and their effect on the germination and early growth of pak choi (Brassica rapa subs. chinensis L.) seeds. A comprehensive biochemical characterization, including mineral content, glucosinolates, and phenolic compounds, was conducted to explore how seasonal and tissue-specific variations impact their composition and biostimulant efficacy. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed distinct metabolic profiles across seasons and plant tissues, with leaf-derived extracts showing higher correlations with phenolic acids and trace minerals, whereas petiole and stem extracts were associated with macronutrients. Germination assays demonstrated that extracts from autumn and winter exhibited the highest biostimulant activity, likely due to their enriched secondary metabolite profiles and well-balanced mineral composition. In contrast, spring extracts, despite their higher macronutrient content, showed limited biostimulant effects, possibly due to physiological constraints in broccoli plants during spring, when they experience reduced bioactive potential. PCA and correlation analysis identified metabolites, particularly sinapic acid and glucobrassicin, as key contributors to enhanced seedling development. Furthermore, a positive relationship between sulfur content and glucosinolate levels suggests that sulfur concentration could serve as a useful quality marker for assessing the bioactivity of broccoli-based biostimulants. This study underscores the potential of broccoli-derived extracts as sustainable biostimulants for improving germination and seedling development in pak choi. The findings highlight the influence of seasons on the bioactive composition of extracts, with low temperatures and high relative humidity favoring the accumulation of secondary metabolites and an optimal nutrient balance in plants.

Salt stress represents one of the most important abiotic stresses affecting crop yields globally. It interferes with plant development, productivity, and metabolic balance by causing both osmotic stress and ion toxicity. Recently, seed priming has gained recognition as a promising approach to improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress. This technique involves preconditioning seeds with natural or synthetic agents, triggering molecular and physiological modifications that generate a form of stress memory. In this research, we investigated the effects of seed priming with a glucosinolate-rich broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) extract on broccoli plants grown under control and salt stress conditions (80 mM NaCl). For this purpose, a combination of physiological (growth, photosynthetic activity, water status), biochemical (ionomic and metabolite profiling), and transcriptomic (RNA-seq) analyses was performed on adult plants to uncover the mechanisms underlying the response to treatment. Our results demonstrate a dual effect: the extract acted as a biostimulant under non-saline conditions, while functioning as a priming agent under salinity. Broccoli extract increases biomass and enhances plant performance and water transport capacity under both conditions. Photosynthetic efficiency improved under non-saline conditions, as evidenced by increased transpiration, stomatal conductance, and internal CO₂ concentration. At the transcriptomic level, primed plants exhibited repression of stress-related genes and upregulation of pathways related to growth and hormone signalling. Under salinity, root tissues displayed dynamic transcriptional reprogramming involving hormonal crosstalk (ABA), aquaporin modulation (PIP2;1, PIP2;2, TIP2;1), activation of ion transporters (NCL, CCX2, SOS2), and regulated secondary metabolism, including glucosinolate transport. These results suggest that seed priming with broccoli extract promotes a more efficient and balanced stress response, supporting both resilience and sustained development.

Exogenous application of glucosinolates (GSLs) has previously been reported to act as a biostimulant, enhancing crop resilience and growth. However, the molecular mechanisms governing their uptake and metabolic integration remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of glucosinolate transporters (GTRs) in the active internalization of exogenous GSLs and their subsequent impact on the early development of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) seedlings. Using a multidisciplinary approach combining Xenopus laevis oocyte heterologous expression, confocal microscopy with fluorescent GSL derivatives, and RNA-seq analysis, we demonstrated that broccoli seedlings actively uptake exogenous GSLs through the root system. Accordingly, functional characterization confirmed that BolGTR1.2, BolGTR2.2, BolGTR2.3, and BolGTR3.3 are high-efficiency transporters capable of translocating both aliphatic and indolic GSLs. Together, GSL profiling, time-course RT-qPCR, and Day 7 RNA-seq revealed that GSL internalization triggers a biphasic response: an initial “consumption phase,” followed by a compensatory upregulation of de novo GSL biosynthetic machinery by Day 7. This metabolic “shortcut” bypasses the energetically costly sulfate reduction pathway, allowing for the reallocation of cellular energy toward structural growth, which was evidenced by the induction of cell wall remodeling genes (XTH, PAE8, GAE) and a measurable increase in seedling biomass. Collectively, our findings support the hypothesis that GSLs are not merely defensive compounds but dynamic metabolic reserves that coordinate resource allocation.