Brassica napus
Rape
Brassica napus, commonly known as rapeseed or canola, is a versatile oilseed crop vital to global agriculture. Beyond its industrial utility, it holds significant medicinal potential. Rich in bioactive compounds like glucosinolates and essential fatty acids, it offers therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties in traditional medicine.
- Scientific name: Brassica napus
- Family: Brassicaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Brassica napus, belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Brassicales and is a member of the family Brassicaceae. Specifically, it falls under the genus Brassica.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Brassicales | WCVP |
| Family | Brassicaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Brassica | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Brassica napus, is recognized by various common names across different languages and cultures. In Estonia, it is referred to as raps, while in the Netherlands, it is commonly called koolzaad. Hungarian speakers call it repce, and in Basque, it is known as Koltza. Additionally, in Arabic, the plant is identified as سلجم.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| eu | Koltza | Wikidata |
| hu | repce | Wikidata |
| et | raps | Wikidata |
| nl | koolzaad | Wikidata |
| ar | سلجم | Wikidata |
| sv | Raps | Wikidata |
| pt | Colza | Wikidata |
| eo | kolzo | Wikidata |
| is | Repja | Wikidata |
| yi | קאנאלא אויל | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical presence across several European regions. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes Great Britain and Ireland. The species can also be found further north in Norway. Moving into Middle Europe, the plant is established within Belgium. Finally, its range extends through the Czechia-Slovakia region.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Baleares | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Corse | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | France | WCVP |
| Southwestern Europe | Portugal | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as rapeseed or canola, contains various components that are utilized for different purposes. The leaves are often studied for their nutritional profile and potential bioactive compounds, while the seeds are the most economically significant part, providing high-quality oil and protein-rich meal used in both culinary and medicinal contexts.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| seeds | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Brassica napus has 61 reported phytochemicals identified across 67 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include cystine, glucosinolates, lysine, methionine, proline.
- Total chemicals
- 61
- Scientific sources
- 67
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cystine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glucosinolates | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lysine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methionine | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| proline | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tryptophan | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 2-propenylglucosinolate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 85Sr | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| A23187 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| C18:1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Brassica napus has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiglycation, Antioxidant.
- Total activities
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antiglycation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Brassica napus has 13 reported medicinal uses identified across 15 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include salt stress, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, autophagy, cell death.
- Total uses
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 15
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| salt stress | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Oxidative Stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| autophagy | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cell death | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cold | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hereditary ataxia | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hypertension | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| oxidative stress | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| salinity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |