Broccoli fights deadly stomach bug

Tues April 7th, 2009

Broccoli has legendary properties - and now doctors say its sprouts may fight a bug that causes stomach ulcers and cancer.

Researchers said the sprouts did not cure infection with the bug, helicobacter pylori, but eating them regularly seems to reduce its levels by as much as 40 per cent.

Stomach ulcer treatment was revolutionised some 20 years ago when doctors discovered that the bug was responsible for many cases.

The latest findings come from a study of some 50 patients in Japan, some of whom ate two and a half ounces of broccoli sprouts daily for two months.

The findings are reported in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. US researchers worked with doctors at Tokyo University of Science, and the University of Tsukuba in Japan on the project.

Researcher Dr Jed Fahey, of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA, said: "The highlight of the study is that we identified a food that, if eaten regularly, might potentially have an effect on the cause of a lot of gastric problems and perhaps even ultimately help prevent stomach cancer.

"Broccoli has recently entered the public awareness as a preventive dietary agent. This study supports the emerging evidence that broccoli sprouts may be able to prevent cancer in humans, not just in lab animals."

The researchers say that sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli, seems to have powerful medicinal properties.

About half the world's population is thought to be infected with helicobacter pylori, which is thought to have evolved drug-resistant strains. There is a high rate of infection in Japan.

Another researcher Professor Paul Talalay said: "It's exciting that a chronic bacterial infection that poses great hazards to hundreds of millions of people globally can be ameliorated by a specific dietary strategy."

New! Discuss this report here.

Tags: Diet & Food | Gastroenterology | Cancer | Asia | North America

Printer friendly page