(18-02-13) Natural sulforaphane compound from crucifers found effective to treat common form of leukemia

by John Phillip

(NaturalNews) Nutrition scientists have been proclaiming the health benefits
of the bioactive compound, sulforaphane found in crucifers such as cauliflower
and broccoli for the past 10 years. Prior research studies have concluded that
the chemical directly alters the expression of our genes to lower the risk from
many different types of cancer. It appears that mainstream medical science has
finally caught on as studies are showing that the extracted compound can
effectively treat one of the most aggressive and invasive forms of leukemia
that primarily afflicts children.

A group of researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas has
published the results of a study in the journal, PLoS ONE demonstrating that a
concentrated form of the compound sulforaphane, found in broccoli and other
cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to reduce the number of acute
lymphoblastic leukemia cells in a lab setting. Lead study author, Dr. Daniel
Lacorazza noted "Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a type of cancer of the white
blood cells common in children... there is about an 80 percent cure rate, but
some children don't respond to treatment. For those cases, we are in need of
alternative treatments."

Sulforaphane from broccoli and cauliflower regulates proteins needed for
cancer cell proliferation
Past studies have shown that sulforaphane is effective in preventing and
treating solid tumors, but no research to date has indicated that the vegetable-
derived compound can provide an effective remedy to fight blood-borne cancers
such as leukemia. To study the effectiveness of sulforaphane, the scientists
incubated human-derived leukemic cell lines and primary lymphoblasts from
pediatric patients with the compound. They found that the cancer cells died
while the healthy cells obtained from healthy donors were unaffected.

The study team indicated that sulforaphane works by entering the cellular
matrix and interacting with critical proteins that are needed for cancerous
proliferation. They indicate that further work will be required to determine
precisely which proteins are affected and the exact mechanism of action.

Dr. Lacorazza concluded "Sulforaphane is a natural product. However, what we
used in this study is a concentrated purified form... so while eating
cruciferous vegetables is good for you, it will not have the same effect as
what we saw in the lab." Eating crucifers regularly (three to four half-cup
servings per week) and supplementing with a concentrated extract of
sulforaphane provides a potent and natural shield against leukemia and many
cancer lines.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.plosone.org
http://www.bcm.edu/news/item.cfm?newsID=6615&r=1
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121212205602.htm

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