New Research: Broccoli-Sprout Extract Found to Protect Against Skin Cancer

Did you have a mom who always said “make sure to eat your broccoli”? As many benefits as broccoli has for your internal health, you may soon see a benefit for the outside of your body. A recent discovery indicates that broccoli sprout extract boosts the body’s natural ability to protect itself against the ultraviolet solar rays that causes skin cancer. Let’s look at the details of this discovery . . .

A recent discovery indicates that broccoli sprout extract boosts the body’s natural ability to protect itself against the ultraviolet solar rays that causes skin cancer.  This is according to studies that were conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.   These findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

If a product was made from the broccoli sprouts to protect the body from the sun rays, this would be a new option for sun protection other than typical sunscreens that contain many carcinogenic chemicals.

"If you apply an extract of broccoli sprouts that contains high levels of sulforaphane to regions of human skin, you can protect them very substantially," said study co-leader Paul Talalay. "We believe, to the best of our knowledge, that this is the first demonstration of protection against a known carcinogen in humans."

In 1992, Talalay and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins found that broccoli was rich in a naturally occurring plant compound called sulforaphane.  This compound is found in other cruciferous vegetables, but it is the strongest in a three-day-old sprout of a broccoli plant.  Broccoli is also high in vitamins A, B and C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, dietary fiber and folic acid.  It has also been known to have cancer-fighting bacteria when eaten as part of your diet.

Sulforaphane has the effect of activating cells' production of what are known as "phase 2 enzymes." One such enzyme, glutathione S-transferase, has been shown to neutralize the DNA-damaging compounds the skin produces when struck by ultraviolet radiation. It also appears to reduce inflammation, which can cause precancerous growths to transform into full-blown cancerous tumors. Sulforaphane also encourages the production of tumor-suppressing proteins.

The most recent study was conducted on six healthy human volunteers.  They were exposed to ultraviolet radiation in two spots on their backs.  On one spot, broccoli-sprout extract was rubbed in one to three days prior to the exposure of radiation.

The areas that contained the broccoli sprout extract developed a 37 percent less redness and inflammation than the areas that were not treated.

How can sulforaphane prevent skin cancer?
The researchers believe that the broccoli-sprout extract provides a long-lasting effect because once the body's cancer-fighting mechanisms are activated by sulforaphane, they remain active for days.

"It's very important work," said Michael Sporn, a professor of pharmacology at Dartmouth Medical School and former head of the National Cancer Institute's program on cancer prevention by means of natural products. Activating the body's inherent defensive mechanisms, he said, "is a new and promising approach."

Broccoli-sprout extract does not actually block sunlight from striking the skin.  Therefore, it does not take away the body’s ability to synthesize vitamin D, which is a critical nutrient for the body that is produced by exposure to ultraviolet rays.  The majority of Americans, Canadians and British citizens do not get enough vitamin D.  A deficiency in Vitamin D can cause an increased risk of breast cancer, prostate cancer, depression, and bone disorders, such as osteoporosis.

Talalay and colleagues are hoping to develop a broccoli-sprout extract that will protect people against skin cancer.  They first have to figure out how to get the right concentration of sulforaphane, get the active ingredient to have a longer shelf life and determine how to get the chemical to absorb into the skin effectively.

It looks like Mom was right - broccoli is good for you. While this veggie sunscreen might be a few years away in the making, it could be a great option for protecting you from the sun's rays.