Daily Consumption of Well-Cooked Broccoli May Affect Glucosinolate Metabolites and Inflammatory Biomarkers

Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Treatments

Other: Base Diet with Broccoli

Other: Control Diet

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT03013465

HS55

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objectives of the study are 1) to determine the influence of daily consumption of well-cooked broccoli on plasma and urinary glucosinolate metabolites, and 2) to determine inflammatory marker changes consistent with decreased cancer risk.

Full description

Consumption of Brassica vegetables is inversely associated with incidence of several cancers, including cancer of the lung, stomach, liver, colon, rectum, breast, endometrium, and ovaries. Brassica vegetables are a good source of many nutrients, but the unique characteristic of Brassicas (Broccoli in particular) is their rich content of glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are sulfur-containing compounds that are converted to isothiocyanates (ITC) by an enzyme in the plant called myrosinase, which is released when the vesicles containing myrosinase are ruptured by chewing or cutting. The isothiocyanates are considered to be the active agent for cancer prevention. Some of the mechanisms by which isothiocyanates likely inhibit cancer include modulation of cytochrome P450 enzymes, induction of phase II enzymes, and apoptosis.

The aim of this study is to investigate how daily consumption of broccoli with myrosinase inactivated by cooking influences glucosinolate metabolism and absorption, and consequent regulation of inflammatory markers.

Enrollment

18 patients

Sex

All

Ages

21 to 70 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Non tobacco user
Cancer Free
Not currently taking glucosinolate/isothiocyanate containing supplements

Exclusion criteria

Type 2 diabetes requiring the use of diabetes pills, insulin, or non-insulin shots
Use of blood-thinning medications such as Coumadin (warfarin), Dicumarol, or Miradon (anisinidione)
History of bariatric surgery or nutrient malabsorption disease
Pregnant, lactating, or intending to become pregnant during the study period
Crohn's disease or diverticulitis
Suspected or known strictures, fistulas or physiological/mechanical GI obstruction
Self-report of alcohol or substance abuse within the past 12 months and/or current acute treatment or rehabilitation program for these problems (long-term participation in Alcoholics Anonymous is not an exclusion)