HEALING PROPERTIES OF CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES (cabbage, broccoli, turnip, etc)

Cruciferous vegetables have proved to have preventive effects against cancer, arteriosclerosis and other degenerative diseases. Indole-3-carbinol is a product derived from glucosinolate glucobrassicin, also known as indole-3-glucosinolate. Glucosinolates can be found mainly in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, turnips, etc.)
Recommendations to keep a good diet include daily eating 5 portions of fresh vegetables and 5 portions of fresh fruits.
An ancient roman medicine treaty says “in case a carcinogenic ulcer shows up in breasts, apply a leaf of mashed cabbage and it will get well”. When the cabbage leaf is mashed, indole-3-glucosinolate turns into indole-3-carbinol, among other reactions.
I-3-C is not active in itself. Once I-3-C comes into contact with gastric acid it changes into its active metabolites, diindolilmethane and indolocarbazole. For that reason, I-3-C doesn’t produce active metabolites when administrated parenterally.
Currently, we know that I-3-C can modulate metabolism of oestrogen. It may also produce antioxidant, antiatherogenic and anticarcinogenic effects.
I-3-C may stimulate natural detoxifying enzymes in our bodies.
It has been proved that oestrogenic metabolites 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone and 4-hydroxyestrone are carcinogenic and they are believed to be responsible for the possible carcinogenic effects of oestrogen. On the other hand, it was found that oestrogenic metabolite 2-hydroxyestrone acts as a protection against many types of cancer, including breast cancer. It has been proved that I-3-C increases the rate from 2-hydroxyestrone to 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone, it also inhibits the 4-hydroxylation of estradiol.
Some studies have shown that I-3-C restores the function of the suppressor gene p21, delays spreading of aberrant cells in prostate and breasts, and induces apoptosis of aberrant cells.
As already mentioned above, I-3-C induces synthesis of 2-hydroxyestrone. It was found that 2-hydroxyestrone inhibits oxidation of low density lipoprotein. Thus indicating that I-3-C has an indirect antioxidant effect. 2-hydroxyestrone also seems to have the ability to inhibit proliferation of smooth muscle. These 2 processes, inhibiting proliferation of smooth muscle and oxidation of LDL, are important for I-3-C to produce the antiatherogenic effects.
Some of our research has proved that I-3-C may be useful for inhibiting development of papillomatosis cysts caused by the human papilloma virus, even in mouth, lungs and vocal cords.
Fifty percent of patients in stage II-III of NIC who have been treated with I-3-C for a period of 12 weeks have completed a full regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, apparently due to this treatment.