High amounts of cancer-inhibiting sulforaphane can be found in broccoli, watercress, arugula, turnips, radishes, broccoli rabb, kohlrabi, mustard greens, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy kale and collards.
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PORTLAND: A chemical compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and brussels sprouts, selectively kills cancer cells, scientists have found.
According to a new study, a phytochemical called sulforaphane inhibits the enzymes that silence groups of genes that would otherwise promote cancer cell death. And unlike traditional cancer therapies, while inhibiting cancer development, sulforaphane doesn't seem to damage surrounding tissue.
"We show for the first time that sulforaphane selectively targets benign hyperplasia cells and cancerous prostate cells while leaving the normal prostate cells unaffected," researchers from Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, wrote in their study.
According to lead author Emily Ho, sulforaphane appears to be a phytochemical, or plant chemical compound, that targets only cancer cells, which is what scientists look for in cancer therapies. "It's important to demonstrate that sulforaphane is safe if we propose to use it in cancer prevention or therapies," she added.
Halting abnormal growth
The researchers closely examined sulforaphane's role as an inhibitor of the histone deacetylase enzyme (HDAC), which determines whether certain enzymes have access to DNA, and if relevant genes, such as those that suppress tumours, are expressed.
Cancer cells have been derailed from the genetic code that tells them not to divide, but HDAC inhibitors turn on silenced genes that restore normal cellular function and halt abnormal growth.
"There are now hundreds of studies that document the cancer-protective effects of cruciferous vegetables," said Joel Fuhrman, founder of the Nutritional Medicine Centre in Flemington, New Jersey.
Leaves immune system in tact
Traditional cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation, often damage nearby, healthy tissue in the attempt to eradicate the abnormal cells. Sulforaphane, on the other hand, gives researchers a shot at targeting only the cancer while leaving surrounding tissue and the immune system intact.
"The use of a component (sulforaphane) of a plant food as a drug could become another beneficial tool in fighting a disease [such as cancer]," said John McDougall, director of the Health and Medical Centre in Santa Rosa, California.
"However, this is a drug therapy and should not be mixed up with food. As with all other drugs there will be substantial costs and side effects. Broccoli as a food will have a far greater range of general benefits and should be part of the diet of anyone wishing to stay healthy and to regain lost health."
