Study: Broccoli May Help Asthma Sufferers

Remember when your mommy said, "Eat your broccoli"? And you frowned on it!

A new study, published in the journal Clinical Immunology, has found that eating your broccoli may help asthma sufferers and people with many other respiratory problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, allergies, and rhinitis. Such respiratory problems are characterized by inflammation caused by different pollutants present in the air we breathe.

The new study, led by Dr. Marc Riedl, Professor of Clinical Immunology at the School of Medicine at UCLA, has found that a potent antioxidant, known as sulforaphane, present in broccoli and other cruciferous (broccoli-like) vegetables increases the production of antioxidant compound in the human respiratory system that protects against free radicals damage.

Free radicals are known to cause oxidative damage to cells and tissues in the human body. There are plenty of free radical in the air we breathe. A major contributor to free radicals in air is the high levels of pollution seen in our cities and towns. Also, the smoke coming from tobacco products add an extra dose of free radicals an increases the risk of damage to the respiratory tract.

According to the study, 65 participants were given different doses of either broccoli or alfalfa sprout for a 3-day period. Alfalfa sprout eaters were the control group (no sulforaphane in alfalfa) while the others the test group.

People who participated were subjected to genetic testing of specific enzymes that code for antioxidant biochemical compound in cells of the human upper airways. Researchers found that the group which ate broccoli had a very significant increase in the expression of those enzymes. For example, a two-fold increase was observed of an antioxidant enzyme called GSTP1 (glutathione s transferase M1) when 200 grams of broccoli were eaten daily. Another beneficial enzyme (NADPH quinone oxido reductase - NQO1) suffered almost a 200 percent increase. Glutathione s transferase P1 (GSTP1) and hemoxygenase-1 (HO-1) were also evaluated with similar results. Doses of 100 grams of broccoli per day were enough to elicit a positive antioxidant response.

The study also looked at possible negative side effects of eating broccoli. However, researchers found none at least for the 3-day study period. The study showed the potential of a simple therapy (eating broccoli) for the expression of anti-oxidative enzymes that protect upper airway respiratory cells and tissues. Also, such approach may be very cost-effective for people suffering asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, allergies, and rhinitis.

Source:

Oral sulforaphane increases Phase II antioxidant enzymes in the human upper airway. Clinical Immunology. Volume 130, Issue 3, March 2009, Pages 244-251