According to two new studies, isothiocyanates, a group of sulfur-containing compounds found in cruciferous vegetables – including broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnips, collards, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, rutabaga, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, horseradish, radishes and watercress – may slow the development of lung cancer.
For eight weeks, Fung-Lung Chung of Georgetown University Medical Center, and team, exposed mice to carcinogens like those in cigarette smoke and, after 5 months, dissected some of the mice to examine lung tumor development.
The remaining mice were then fed diets containing either low or high amounts of phenethyl isothiocyanate and sulforaphane, which are comprised of natural isothiocynates. The researchers found that not only did the mice on the high- isothiocynate diet develop fewer malignant tumors, but the apoptosis (cell death) rate of their cancer cells increased.
In another lab study, this time in test tubes, researchers found that the type of cancer cells that tended to grow fastest were most susceptible to isothiocyanates.
These findings suggest that a diet high in isothiocynates may protect against lung cancer and that scientists may develop new cancer therapies that include a isothiocyanates regimen.