The Anti-Oxidant Properties of Isothiocyanates: A Review

Abstract

Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and watercress, have been studied extensively aiming to evaluate their chemopreventive properties. Some of them have already been established using animal models. The ITCs induce Phase II enzymes related to detoxification processes of chemical carcinogens to prevent the start of carcinogenesis. They also exhibit antitumor activity at post-initiation phase, suggesting their additional role(s) in cancer prevention. Sulforaphane is the most extensively studied isothiocyanate, focused in its anti-tumoral activity and it is mainly found in great amounts in broccoli and other cruciferous. In a dose dependent manner, ITCs inhibit the cell viability of human cervical cancer cells, human pancreatic cancer cells, human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, human ovarian cancer cells, and have antiinflammatory properties in the treatment of human T-cell leukemia cells. This protective effect may be due to improved antioxidant status. Although the health effects of diet in humans are generally considered promising, there are definite challenges and limitations of the current data in better understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect, together with the possible interactions between different dietary constituents. The survey of relevant patents on the use of isothiocyanates such as sulforaphane for cancer and cardiovascular diseases treatments is also included in this review.

Antioxidant Supplementation in the Treatment of Neurotoxicity Induced by Platinum-Based Chemotherapeutics—A Review

“…Isothiocyanates, a group of natural bioactive compounds mostly present in cruciferous vegetables, are characterized by their antioxidant properties [ 148 ]. That is what enabled them to be used in the alleviation of platinum drug-induced neurotoxicity.…”

Urinary Isothiocyanates Level and Liver Cancer Risk: A Nested Case-Control Study in Shanghai, China

“…Furthermore, phenethyl isothiocyanate had inhibitory activity against liver cancer induction by N-nitrosodiethylamine in the mice (19). Studies developed in vitro have also demonstrated that ITCs induce apoptosis, which could be linked to their chemopreventive activity in the postinitiation phase (10). Sulforaphane, one of the most extensively studied ITCs, may have a potential effect on decreasing the secretion of inflammatory signaling molecules by white blood cells and DNA binding of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), which is one of the early key events involved in neoplastic progression of the liver (21-23).…”

“…Sulforaphane, one of the most extensively studied ITCs, may have a potential effect on decreasing the secretion of inflammatory signaling molecules by white blood cells and DNA binding of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), which is one of the early key events involved in neoplastic progression of the liver (21-23). Furthermore, several studies have suggested that IκB kinase complex inhibition and/or signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 downregulation may attribute to ITCs-induced apoptosis (10, 34). Although ITCs are metabolized and disposed in a time-dependent fashion, total urinary ITCs levels was still considered as the best biomarker of human exposure to dietary ITCs recently (35).…”

“…Although the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute of Cancer Research have both considered vegetable intake as a limited-no conclusion factor for HCC (4), several observational studies still suggested an inverse association between aforementioned variable and risk of HCC (5-8). Cruciferous vegetables (CV) have been of specific interest because of their content in a variety of anticancer constituents such as glucosinolates, the precursors of isothiocyanates (ITCs) as well as indole-3-carbinol (I3C), both of which may contribute to against development of cancer (9, 10). Previous epidemiologic studies have indicated that ITCs have antioxidative properties and chemopreventive effects on the development of cancers of lung, gastric, breast, and colorectum (11-17).…”

Alimentos con efecto anti-inflamatorio

“…Su efecto antinflamatorio, ha sido observado en consumidores crónicos de maca, en los cuales se encontraron niveles más bajos de IL6 [74]. Algunos de sus principios activos están relacionados a otras especies de lepidium como la mostaza, el nabo, col, berros [76], brócoli, reconocidos por sus propiedades preventivas, asociados al contenido de isotiocianatos [92], que a dosis dependiente, inducen la reducción de la expresión de IL1β, TNFα, IL6, óxido nítrico a través de sON y enzimas COX 2 asociadas a la producción de citoquinas proinflamatorias [92]. Los isotiocianatos dietarios son eficientemente absorbidos (≥80%), pero aún se requieren estudios respecto a su bioactividad [93].…”