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(NewsTarget) New research published in the journal Cancer
Research has found that naturally occurring compounds found
in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts
and watercress can selectively kill cancer cells.
Researchers from Otago University's Christchurch school
of medicine in New Zealand found that natural chemical
compounds in the vegetables called isothiocyanates can cause
cell-suicide in cancer cells that are normally resistant to
cell-suicide because of high levels of a certain protein
called Bcl-2.
"A cancer
cell with a lot of Bcl-2 has increased resistance to
chemotherapy drugs that are used to destroy the tumor," says
lead researcher Dr. Mark Hampton. "We've found that Bcl-2
can't protect
cancer
cells against certain isothiocyanates."
The researchers' discovery has opened up the possibility
of the development of a new cancer drug based on naturally
occurring isothiocyanates that would only kill cancer cells
-- not healthy ones -- but natural health advocates say
cancer patients could receive the benefits of
isothiocyanates by simply eating the cruciferous
vegetables they come from.
Consumer advocate Mike Adams says
broccoli
has long been a potent, natural cancer fighter, and cancer
patients should eat broccoli and other anti-cancer
cruciferous vegetables to fight their disease, rather than
waiting for a pharmaceutical company to turn broccoli's
natural compounds into an expensive drug.
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