# Isatis tinctoria L.—From Botanical Description to Seed-Extracted Compounds and Their Applications: An Overview

## TL;DR

This review explores the potential of woad seeds, highlighting their chemical composition and applications in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive overview of woad seeds, emphasizing their underutilized value and potential for sustainable industrial use.

## Key findings

- Woad seeds contain fatty acids, amino acids, phytosterols, and glucosinolates with potential industrial applications.
- Recent studies focus on sustainable extraction methods for woad seed compounds.
- Woad seeds show promise for use in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

## Abstract

Isatis tinctoria L. (Brassicaceae), also known as woad or dyer’s woad, is an ancient plant with a rosy future ahead. Most of the knowledge about woad is related to indigo dye production and its medicinal applications, especially its leaves. The general interest in woad has decreased with the rise of petroleum-based products. However, nowadays this plant is attracting interest again with industries reintroducing natural dyes. To meet the market demand in a sustainable manner, recent studies have focused specifically on woad seeds, leading to a valorization of the whole woad plant. This review provides an overview of the botanical, phytochemical composition, and properties of woad seeds, primarily supporting their cosmetic and pharmaceutical potential. From a chemical point of view, woad seeds mainly contain fatty acids, amino acids, phytosterols and glucosinolates. These compounds have been investigated through their extraction and analytical methods, as well as their properties and industrial applications.