Broccoli may protect against asthma & skin cancer A compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may help protect against respiratory inflammation that causes conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, says a new study by the University of California, Los Angeles.
The research – published in the the journal Clinical Immunology – shows that sulforaphane, a chemical in broccoli, triggers an increase of antioxidant enzymes in the human airway.
These protect against the onslaught of free radicals that we breathe in every day in polluted air, pollen, diesel exhaust and tobacco smoke.
A supercharged form of oxygen, free radicals can cause oxidative tissue damage, which leads to inflammation and respiratory conditions like asthma. “This is one of the first studies showing that broccoli sprouts – a readily available food source – offer potent biologic effects in stimulating an antioxidant response in humans,” said Dr Marc Riedl, the study’s principal investigator. “We found a two- to three-fold increase in antioxidant enzymes in the nasal airway cells of participants who ate a preparation of broccoli sprouts,” Riedl said. “This strategy may offer protection against inflammatory processes and could lead to treatments for a variety of respiratory conditions,” the expert added.
BROCCOLI AGAINST CANCER
In other unrelated research, scientists at Pennsylvania State University are on track to develop a pill, containing extracts of broccoli and cabbage mixed with those from Brazil nuts, which they claim would be an effective drug to fight skin cancer. In fact, researchers have already made a drug which can halt the growth of skin cancer tumours in laboratory mice by up to 60 per cent.
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