Effect of cruciferous vegetables

LAMPE J w, PETERSON s (2002) Brassica, biotransformation and cancer risk genetic polymorphisms alter the preventive effects of cruciferous vegetables. J Nutr. 132 2991-4. 

Murray S, Lake BG, Gray S, Edwards AJ, Springall C, Bowey EA, Williamson G, Boobis AR, Gooderham NJ. Effect of cruciferous vegetable consumption on heterocyclic aromatic amine metabolism in man. Carcinogenesis 2001 22 1413-1420. 

Finley, J.W. 2003. The antioxidant responsive element (ARE) may explain the protective effects of cruciferous vegetables on cancer. Nutr. Rev. 61, 250-258. 

TABLE 13.1 Human Studies into the Effects of Cruciferous Vegetable Constituents on Colorectal Cancer ... 

The cancer chemopreventive effect of cruciferous vegetables is mainly attributed to ITCs. The most important ITCs found in cruciferous crops are sulforaphane (SFN), allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), iberin (4-meth-ylsulfinilpropyl isothiocyanate, MSPITC), and erucin (4-methylthio-butyl isothiocyanate, MTBITC) derived from aliphatic and aromatic GSLs. 

Specific aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons found in petroleum products are known to be metabolized via cytochrome P-450 pathways to reactive metabolic intermediates that are thought to cause non-cancer and cancer effects from chronic exposure (e.g., peripheral neuropathy from 2,5-hexadione, a metabolite of hexane, and cancer effects from various intermediary metabolites of benzene and carcinogenic PAHs). There are no known clinical methods to interfere with these mechanisms of action. However, current research programs are studying the basis of how the consumption of cruciferous vegetables may protect... 

Bergman and Yudina have effected a route to several indolo[3,2- 7]carbazoles, such as 175 (equation 2) via a double Fischer indolization [356]. Such compounds are of biological interest because 175 is formed in vivo after the consumption of cruciferous vegetables. It has a strong affinity for the dioxin (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) (TCDD) Ah-receptor. Moreover, the 6-formyl derivative 176 binds more strongly to the Ah-receptor than TCDD itself [357, 358]. Saracoglu and Talaz have transformed cyclooctanone into tetrameric indole 177 by stepwise Fischer indolization steps [359]. 

Genotoxic effects of crnde jnices from Brassica vegetables andjnices and extracts from ph)dopharmaceutical preparations and spices of cruciferous plants origin in bacterial and mammalian cells , Chemico-Biological Interact, 102 1-16. 

And to add some fun to this process, the indoles found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and brussel sprouts are also inducers. In fact. Dr. Bruce Ames, UC Berkeley, a prominent voice in the great cancer debate, points out that there are positive and negative aspects to induction. That caused but natural foods such as broccoli may have a positive effect in ridding the body of cancer-causing xenobiotics. 

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