A compound found in broccoli buds not only helps prevent cancer, but also has the hope of curing cancer. This compound is called Sulforaphane and is widely found in vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, cabbage, especially in high concentrations of broccoli buds. Sulforaphane also acts as a dietary supplement for the treatment of degenerative neuropathy (BSE). Scientists at the Texas A and M Health Science Center and researchers in Oregon, USA, have previously found that sulforaphane can inhibit colon and prostate cancer cells in laboratory in vitro cell experiments. They have now shown that this compound also has a similar effect in the human body.
In a clinical study, 28 volunteers over the age of 50 were undergoing routine colonoscopy. The researchers also conducted a survey of their diet habits of cruciferous vegetables. Their colon biopsy found that the expression of the tumor suppressor gene, p16, was high in volunteers who regularly consumed broccoli, and that the expression level of the gene was low in volunteers who had little or no cruciferous vegetables.
However, it seems strange that the retention time of sulforaphane in the body is very short, less than 24 hours in the body can not detect the sulforaphane. This may suggest that some epigenetic modifications are triggered by sulforaphane and its metabolites, so that even if the retention time of sulforaphane is short, downstream mechanisms or pathways may continue, at least in the short term, influences. "In other words, eating foods containing sulforaphane can" change "your genes and help your body fight tumor growth.
But that"s not all good news. In animal models, sulforaphane has been shown to inhibit the development of colon cancer, but it is actually a double-edged sword. Sulforaphane can induce protein expression called Nrf2, which has antioxidant detoxification, and is clearly conducive to cancer. However, in the late development of cancer, Nrf2 can also promote the role of tumor growth, and even enhance the accumulation of cancer cell plaques in the arteries. Therefore, scientists believe that Nrf2 is worthy of further exploration, not only for cancer treatment, but also that the protein may exist in the regulation of cardiovascular disease.