Greens to the rescue…A laboratory study from the U.K. has found that sulforaphane, a compound found in broccoli, could be key to preventing or slowing osteoarthritis (OA). The research is being led by a team at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and is the first major study looking into the effects of sulforaphane on joint health.
Results from the laboratory show that sulforaphane slows down the destruction of cartilage in joints associated osteoarthritis. The researchers found that mice fed a diet rich in the compound had significantly less cartilage damage and osteoarthritis than those that were not.
Sulforaphane is released when eating cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and cabbage, but particularly broccoli. The researchers discovered that sulforaphane blocks the enzymes that cause joint destruction by stopping a key molecule known to cause inflammation. They wanted to find out if the compound got into joints in sufficient amounts to be effective and their findings are published today in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Researchers from the School of Biological Sciences and Norwich Medical School are now embarking on a small scale trial in osteoarthritis patients due to have knee replacement surgery, to see if eating broccoli has similar effects on the human joint. If successful, they hope it will lead to funding for a large-scale clinical trial to show the effect of broccoli on osteoarthritis, joint function and pain itself.
Ian Clark, professor of musculoskeletal biology at UEA and the lead researcher, said in the August 27, 2013 news release: “The results from this study are very promising. We have shown that this works in the three laboratory models we have tried, in cartilage cells, tissue and mice. We now want to show this works in humans. It would be very powerful if we could.”
For the small-scale trial, funded by DRINC, half the 40 patients will be given ‘super broccoli’ – bred to be high in sulforaphane – to eat for two weeks before their operation. Once the surgery has taken place the researchers will look at whether the compound has altered joint metabolism and if it can be detected in the replaced joints.
Dr. Clark told OTW, “At the moment, the most important message is that we are following up on the laboratory evidence to examine the question: is consumption of broccoli good for joint health in man? We will continue to publicize our research so that everyone is informed of the outcomes.”
