Black cabbage seed extract affects rat Cyp-mediated biotransformation: organ and sex related differences

Brassicaceae are widely consumed in many parts of the world and their dietary intake has been associated with cancer risk reduction. Extracts and metabolites derived from cruciferous vegetables have thus gained popularity as potential cancer chemopreventive agents. We have previously found, unexpectly, that glucoraphanin, the most extensively present glucosinolate in these vegetables, is a potent mutagen bioactivating Phase-I enzyme inducer. In the present study, the influence of black cabbage seed extract, rich in glucoraphanin, was investigated on Phase-I enzymes in different organs of male or female rats. Oral seed extract injection at 120 or 240 mg/kg b.w. for one or four consecutive days, significantly affected various cytochrome P450 (CYP) -linked monooxygenases in a complex way being the lung the most responsive organ (in males, up to ∼2600% increase for CYP2B1/2 isoform and ∼96% loss for CYP1A1, CYP3A1/2). These findings indicate that the extract may strongly enhance and/or suppress rat xenobiotic biotransformation pathways and that caution should be paid to the possible influence on human metabolism. These data suggest an overall evaluation of the balance between beneficial vs. possible adverse effects for each agent, even if of natural origin, prior to routinely, preventive mass use.