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Metabolism, absorption, and anti-cancer effects of sulforaphane: an update

Hao-Feng Gu1, Xue-Ying Mao1, Min Du2

  • 1Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Food Quality, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education; College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
|January 4, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Sulforaphane (SFN), a natural compound from broccoli, shows potent anti-cancer effects. This review details SFN

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nutritional Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cancer remains a significant global health challenge.
  • Natural compounds are increasingly investigated for cancer prevention and treatment.
  • Sulforaphane (SFN), derived from Brassica oleracea (broccoli), is a promising anti-cancer agent.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the metabolism and absorption of Sulforaphane (SFN).
  • To explore recent mechanistic insights into SFN's anti-cancer activities.
  • To summarize SFN's effects on cancer stem cells and its synergistic potential with other therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on SFN metabolism, absorption, and anti-cancer mechanisms.
  • Analysis of recent studies on SFN's effects on autophagy, epigenetics, glycolysis, and fat metabolism.
  • Inclusion of data on cancer stem cell inhibition, synergistic effects, and clinical trials.

Main Results:

  • SFN is well-absorbed and metabolized via the mercapturic acid pathway.
  • SFN exhibits anti-cancer properties by promoting autophagy, inducing epigenetic modifications, and suppressing glycolysis and fat metabolism.
  • SFN inhibits cancer stem cells and shows synergistic effects with other anti-cancer agents.

Conclusions:

  • Sulforaphane (SFN) demonstrates significant anti-cancer potential through multiple molecular mechanisms.
  • SFN's ability to target cancer stem cells and synergize with other treatments warrants further clinical investigation.
  • Further research and clinical trials are essential to fully elucidate SFN's therapeutic role in cancer.
Keywords:
Cancercancer stem cellsmetabolismnovel mechanisms

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