Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane is an isothiocyanate that is present naturally in cruciferous vegetables with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial effects^[1]. Sulforaphane can function by blocking initiation via inhibiting Phase 1 enzymes that convert procarcinogens to proximate or ultimate carcinogens, and by inducing Phase 2 enzymes that detoxify carcinogens and facilitate their excretion from the body^[2]. Sulforaphane has been widely used to inhibit the proliferation of various cancer cells and to improve oxidative stress^[3].

In vitro, Sulforaphane treatment for 24 hours significantly inhibited the viability of OECM-1 cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 5.7μM^[4]. Treatment with 10μM Sulforaphane for 48 hours significantly induced apoptosis in MDAH-2774 cells, accompanied by an increase in the expression of pro-apoptotic protein BAK, while the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 decreased^[5]. Treatment with 20μM Sulforaphane for 24 hours significantly reduced the expression of EGFR and EGFR signaling in A549 cells, and decreased cell viability^[6].

In vivo, Sulforaphane treatment via oral administration at a dose of 20mg/kg/day for 2 weeks alleviated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis and reversed gut dysbiosis in mice^[7]. Oral administration of Sulforaphane at a dose of 1g/kg/day for 6 weeks alleviated high-fat diet-induced visceral fat accumulation, adipocyte hypertrophy, and hepatic steatosis in mice^[8].

References:
[1] Fimognari C, Hrelia P. Sulforaphane as a promising molecule for fighting cancer[J]. Mutation Research/Reviews in Mutation Research, 2007, 635(2-3): 90-104.
[2] Clarke J D, Dashwood R H, Ho E. Multi-targeted prevention of cancer by sulforaphane[J]. Cancer letters, 2008, 269(2): 291-304.
[3] Guerrero-Beltrán C E, Calderón-Oliver M, Pedraza-Chaverri J, et al. Protective effect of sulforaphane against oxidative stress: recent advances[J]. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology, 2012, 64(5): 503-508.
[4] Adtani P N, Al-Bayati S A A F, Elsayed W S. Sulforaphane from brassica oleracea induces apoptosis in oral squamous carcinoma cells via p53 activation and mitochondrial membrane potential dysfunction[J]. Pharmaceuticals, 2025, 18(3): 393.
[5] Bryant C S, Kumar S, Chamala S, et al. Sulforaphane induces cell cycle arrest by protecting RB-E2F-1 complex in epithelial ovarian cancer cells[J]. Molecular cancer, 2010, 9(1): 47.
[6] Chen C Y, Yu Z Y, Chuang Y S, et al. Sulforaphane attenuates EGFR signaling in NSCLC cells[J]. Journal of biomedical science, 2015, 22(1): 38.
[7] Zhang Y, Tan L, Li C, et al. Sulforaphane alter the microbiota and mitigate colitis severity on mice ulcerative colitis induced by DSS[J]. Amb Express, 2020, 10(1): 119.
[8] Choi K M, Lee Y S, Kim W, et al. Sulforaphane attenuates obesity by inhibiting adipogenesis and activating the AMPK pathway in obese mice[J]. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 2014, 25(2): 201-207.