New research has found that a chemical found in broccoli may help to protect against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a leading cause of death, illness, and disability in the US.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine found that the activity of the NRF2 gene in smokers with advanced COPD was markedly lower than that in smokers and former smokers who did not have COPD. The NRF2 gene is important for lung health as it is known to activate several mechanisms that help to remove toxins and pollutants from the lungs.
Further studies showed that sulforaphane, which is found in broccoli and brussels sprouts, restored the activity of the gene in cells exposed to cigarette smoke. The researchers believe that increasing the activity of NRF2 may lead to useful treatments for preventing the progression of COPD.
Malhotra D, Thimmulappa R, Navas-Acien A, Sandford A, Elliott M, Singh A, Chen L, Zhuang X, Hogg J, Pare P, Tuder RM, Biswal S. Decline in NRF2-regulated Antioxidants in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Lungs Due to Loss of Its Positive Regulator, DJ-1. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2008;178:592-604.
