Broccoli : A weapon against diabetes and cancer
Type 2 diabetes affects around 300 million people globally, and as many as 15% of those patients cannot take the first-line therapy metformin because of kidney damage risks. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is not able to make enough insulin or to use the hormone to regulate blood glucose levels. This causes a build-up of sugar in the blood and for obese patients, their excess body fat makes it harder for the liver and muscle tissue to absorb this excess blood glucose. Researchers have identified an antioxidant sulforaphane (which is present in high amounts in broccoli) as a new anti-diabetic substance. This antioxidant also has huge impacts for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases so it is identified as a secret weapon against diabetes and cancer. Sulforaphane stops the liver enzymes from over-producing glucose and thus offers a viable alternative for those who can't take metformin and as a naturally occurring compound, it could also have other benefits. When tested on rodents with dietary-induced diabetes, the researchers found that their blood sugar dropped by 23 percent in four weeks when they were given sulforaphane, which was comparable to the 24 percent drop in those that were given metformin [1].
Also research found that during food preparation the glucosinolates in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables are broken down into biologically active compounds such as indoles, nitriles, thiocyanates, and isothiocyanates and among them indole-3-carbinol (an indole) and sulforaphane (an isothiocyanate) have been most frequently examined for their anticancer effects. Indoles and isothiocyanates have been found to inhibit the development of cancer by protecting cells from DNA damage and blocks DNA methylation, helping inactivate carcinogens, induce cell death (apoptosis) and inhibit tumor blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and tumor cell migration [2]. A number of studies showed that sulforaphane may target CSC (cancer stem cells) in different types of cancer through modulation of NF-κB, SHH, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and Wnt/β-catenin pathways [3]. Also sulforaphane works variably to help the body avoid genetic failures, and thus operates as a cancer antagonist and it is also a potent compound that boosts the body's protective enzymes and flushes out cancer-causing chemicals.
References:
- https://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news/2017/06/broccoli-antioxidant-identified-fight-against-diabetes
- https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cruciferous-vegetables-fact-sheet
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23902242
