Cruciferous vegetables and colo-rectal cancer

• Published in: Proceedings of the Nutrition Society Vol. 65; no. 1; pp. 135 - 144
• Main Authors: Lynn, Anthony, Collins, Andrew, Fuller, Zoë, Hillman, Kevin, Ratcliffe, Brian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.02.2006
• Subjects: administration & dosage; anticarcinogenic activity; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Anticarcinogenic Agents - pharmacology; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Bioactive compounds; Biological effects; Brassicaceae; Brassicaceae - chemistry; Cancer research; Carcinogens; Cell cycle; Cell Division; Cell Division - drug effects; chemistry; Cohort analysis; Colorectal cancer; colorectal neoplasms; Colorectal Neoplasms - prevention & control; Cytochrome; Diet; diet-related diseases; drug effects; Enzymes; epidemiological studies; Food Handling; Food Handling - methods; glucosinolates; Glucosinolates - administration & dosage; Glucosinolates - metabolism; Glucosinolates - pharmacology; Glycoside Hydrolases; Glycoside Hydrolases - metabolism; human nutrition; Humans; Indoles; isothiocyanates; Isothiocyanates - metabolism; literature reviews; Medical research; metabolism; methods; Nutrition research; pharmacology; Postgraduate Symposium; prevention & control; protective effect; thioglucosidase; Vegetables; United Kingdom > UK; Cruciferous vegetables; Broccoli; Colo-rectal cancer
• ISSN: 0029-6651; 1475-2719
• DOI: 10.1079/PNS2005486

Cruciferous vegetables have been studied extensively for their chemoprotective effects. Although they contain many bioactive compounds, the anti-carcinogenic actions of cruciferous vegetables are commonly attributed to their content of glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are relatively biologically inert but can be hydrolysed to a range of bioactive compounds such as isothiocyanates (ITC) and indoles by the plant-based enzyme myrosinase, or less efficiently by the colonic microflora. A number of mechanisms whereby ITC and indoles may protect against colo-rectal cancer have been identified. In experimental animals cruciferous vegetables have been shown to inhibit chemically-induced colon cancer. However, the results of recent epidemiological cohort studies have been inconsistent and this disparity may reflect a lack of sensitivity of such studies. Possible explanations for the failure of epidemiological studies to detect an effect include: assessment of cruciferous vegetable intake by methods that are subject to large measurement errors; the interaction between diet and genotype has not been considered: the effect that post-harvest treatments may have on biological effects of cruciferous vegetables has not been taken into account.