Chickpea Sprouts as a Potential Dietary Support in Different Prostate Disorders—A Preliminary In Vitro Study

Abstract

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are common health problems in the aging male population. Due to the unexplored and unconfirmed impact of food containing isoflavones, like sprouts, on the development of the management of BPH and prostate cancer, we decided to extend the knowledge in this area. Results: We have demonstrated for the first time that chickpea sprouts may play an important role in the chemoprevention of prostate disorders. However, attention should be paid to the isoflavone content in the sprouts, as in our study, chickpea sprouts with a moderate concentration of the compounds, harvested in natural light conditions (CA10L) and blue LED light (CA7B), showed the best scores in terms of their potential towards prostate disorders. Methods: Chickpea seeds were grown in LED chambers. The methanol extracts from sprouts were quantitatively defined using the HPLC system. Experiments such as the determination of PSA, 5-α-reductase, and dihydrotestosterone were performed on PNT2 and LNCaP cells. For anti-inflammatory assays (determination of NO, IL-6, and TNF-alpha release), murine RAW264.7 macrophages were used. Conclusions: The role of legume products as a diet element should be deeply evaluated for the development of future dietary recommendations for prostate cancer and BPH prevention.

Can Simulated Microgravity and Darkness Conditions Influence the Phytochemical Content and Bioactivity of the Sprouts?—A Preliminary Study on Selected Fabaceae Species

“…There are a lot of different methods to stimulate the synthesis of active compounds during sprouts’ growth, with special emphasis on LED lights [ 3 , 4 ], salinity [ 5 ], or disturbed gravity. The use of altered gravity and its impact on growth, cellular changes, and plant orientation was extensively studied [ 6 , 7 ] but in the case of sprouts, this method was implemented only rarely.…”