Broccoli & SuLforaphane
Broccoli a common vegetable found in millions of diets was found to contain a natural chemical that releases when the vegetable is eaten. This extremely beneficial chemical was found to prevent and treat strokes. How is that you might ask?
In a 3 year study completed by Heart Research Institute in Australia and published in ACS, shows that Broccoli releases a chemical called sulforaphane when it’s eaten. This natural chemical can help dissolve blood clots and improve the action of a common clot-busting drug used to treat an acute ischemic stroke. Sulforaphane’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are designed to protect the plant, but when ingested by humans, studies have found sulforaphane has numerous anti-cancer and health-protective qualities. Xuyu Liu, the study’s lead researcher, who holds a doctorate in chemical biology, stated on the HRI website in 2022: “Current treatments are a double-edged sword—by clearing blood clots, it also means a patient has an increased risk of bleeding in the brain should they need emergency surgery. We are looking for clues in nature to find this magic anti-clotting drug which can work where it’s needed but also still allow patients to have antithrombotic treatments.”
HRI researchers discovered that the natural chemical in broccoli, sulforaphane, may improve the performance of tPA and could lead to newer, safer, and more effective medications for acute stroke. Researchers also suggested eating broccoli could be a preventive agent for people who are at high risk of strokes. “What we found in a preclinical trial is that the tPA success rate increases to 60 per cent [sic] when the medication is given with the broccoli-derived [sulforaphane],” Mr. Liu said in an HRI interview. “Excitingly, this naturally occurring compound does not cause any signs of bleeding, which is a common side effect associated with blood-thinning agents tested in stroke treatment.”
Preclinical testing showed that administering sulforaphane reduced the formation of blood clots while improving the action of tPA. Initial testing also found that sulforaphane could slow the onset of stroke.“Not only is the broccoli compound effective in improving the performance of clot-busting medication after a stroke, it could be used as a preventative agent for patients who are at a high risk of stroke,” Mr. Liu said.
What better to eat than broccoli microgreens, where at this stage of growth has the most nutrients? In addition without needing to cook microgreens, you get the full benefit of all the nutrients. Broccoli microgreens anyone?
