Plant Source Foods
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy in Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Cabbage and kale are two closely cruciferous vegetables and belong to the same species Brassica oleracea of the Brassicaceae or Cruciferae family (order Brassicales), but not the same variety. Cabbage belongs to the variety ‘capitate’, while kale belongs to ‘acephala’ (128). Cruciferous vegetables of this family include several important vegetable crops such as cabbage, kale, broccoli, radish, horseradish, rocket, watercress, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Kai Lan, Chinese cabbage, and more (128–129). Cabbage leaves form a head and have different colors (white, green, red, or purple); while the central leaves of kale do not form a head (128). Cabbage and kale are rich in glucosinolates (128–129). Glucosinolates are a group of sulfur- and nitrogen-containing glycosides found in the plant order Brassicales. They are considered the stronghold in the plant defense system as they can deter pest and pathogen attacks (128–129). Unlike most defense compounds of the plant, glucosinolates are not toxic per se (129). For human health, glucosinolates have been associated with many beneficial effects against cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, bacteria, and fungi, as well as antioxidant and antimutagenic properties (129). Cabbage and kale are also rich in fibers, vitamins, and minerals.
Postmenopause
Carolyn Torkelson, Catherine Marienau in Beyond Menopause, 2023
As you consider foods that are beneficial, we advise you to follow the age-old adage to “eat your veggies.” Vegetables have antioxidant value and are low in calories, which helps manage weight and support healthy physical and mental well-being. Cruciferous vegetables are essential because they are rich in vitamins (folate and vitamin K), minerals (selenium and calcium), phytochemicals (plant sterols and indole-3-carbinol), and essential sulfur-containing compounds (called glucosinolates). The health benefits of cruciferous vegetables have been studied extensively. Many of the compounds in these vegetables synergistically contribute to health promotion such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant capacities. Some studies have suggested that indole-3-carbinol (active metabolites in cruciferous vegetables) strongly influences estradiol metabolism and may be a new approach to prevent estrogen-dependent diseases. If you can make just one change to your diet, start by adding one serving of cruciferous vegetables to your daily meal plan.
Long-Term Toxicity and Regulations for Bioactive-Loaded Nanomedicines
Mahfoozur Rahman, Sarwar Beg, Mazin A. Zamzami, Hani Choudhry, Aftab Ahmad, Khalid S. Alharbi in Biomarkers as Targeted Herbal Drug Discovery, 2022
Resveratrol, a compound found in grapes, mulberries, and peanuts, has demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and proapoptotic properties. The dose-limiting toxicity studies were carried out for determining any potential toxicity associated with resveratrol. A dose of 3000 mg/Kg body weight (BW) for 28 days caused nephrotoxicity in rats, evident with an enhanced level of serum BUN and creatinine levels, increased kidney weights, and gross renal pathology changes, also caused anemia due to reduced erythropoietin synthesis in the kidneys. The dose of 1000 or 300 mg/kg BW/ day did not result in nephrotoxic findings (Crowell et al., 2004). Some active constituents of cruciferous vegetables can also produce toxic effects. Akagi et al. reported that the oral administration of 0.1% phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) and benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) in the rat diet-induced continuous urinary epithelial cell proliferation and simple and papillary or nodular (PN) hyperplasias, resulting in bladder carcinogenesis in rats (Akagi et al., 2003). The intracellular ROS generated from the N=S group of the isothiocyanates (ITCs) produces the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects and subsequent oxidative DNA damage (Russo et al., 2010).
Management of diabetes using herbal extracts: review
Published in Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry, 2018
Walid Hamdy El-Tantawy, Abeer Temraz
Moringa oleifera Lam., is a fast growing, drought-tolerant tree that thrives in tropical and subtropical regions. It belongs to the Moringaceae family within the order Brassicales which includes broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables of the Brassicaceae family. Traditionally, moringa is renowned for its nutritional value and medicinal benefits (Leone et al.2015). Hypoglycemic properties of aqueous extract of M. oleifera have been tested on carbohydrate digesting enzyme activity, yeast cell uptake, muscle glucose uptake, and intestinal glucose absorption. Type 2 diabetes was induced by feeding high-fat diet (HFD) for eight weeks and a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 45 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) was used for the induction of type 1 diabetes.
Usual Cruciferous Vegetable Consumption and Ovarian Cancer: A Case-Control Study
Published in Nutrition and Cancer, 2018
Hallie McManus, Kirsten B. Moysich, Li Tang, Janine Joseph, Susan E. McCann
The constituents of cruciferous vegetables (Brassica) have been previously shown to be inversely associated with risk of various cancer types including gastric, breast, lung, prostate, bladder, colorectal, and endometrial cancers (1,3–7). Cruciferous vegetables include, but are not limited to: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, kale, and Brussels sprouts (8). Crucifers contain high levels of glucosinolates, which are phytochemicals that can be converted into isothiocyanates (ITC) during food preparation and digestion (9). ITCs are promising chemopreventive agents due to their multifaceted anti-cancer activities, including altering the metabolism of carcinogens, inhibiting tumorigenesis, inducing apoptosis and autophagy, arresting cell proliferation, inhibiting angiogenesis and metastasis, suppressing inflammatory mediators, activating immune defenses, impacting cancer cell energetics and metabolism, and generating reactive oxygen species (10). Given these anti-carcinogenic activities, cruciferous vegetables may represent a viable modifiable risk factor important in ovarian cancer etiology. Therefore, utilizing a case-control study design, we examined the association between self-reported usual intakes of several cruciferous vegetables and ovarian cancer in archived data from Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI).
Diet and prostate health: an underrated tool?
Published in The Aging Male, 2022
Sandro La Vignera, Livia Basile
Due to the presence of isoflavones genistein and daidzein, soy can reduce the risk of prostate cancer [43]. Unfortunately, observational data in patients with prostate cancer are still insufficient [44–50]. As stated in other observational studies, higher consumption of cruciferous vegetables (e.g. broccoli, cauliflower, kale) [51] coffee [52] and vegetable-derived fats [53] determined a lower risk of prostate cancer progression. Cruciferous vegetables are mainly rich in sulforanate, an isothiocyanate with anticancer properties [54]. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter trial involving 78 patients with recurrent prostate cancer, the consumption of 60 mg of sulforaphane for six months was resulted in 86% longer PSA doubling time [55]. Similarly, in another phase clinical trial, the intake of 200 μmoles/day of sulforaphane-rich extract provided an 50% reduction in PSA doubling time [56].
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