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Sulforaphane,
a compound found in broccoli, kills the helicobacter pylori
bacteria that causes stomach ulcers and several types of stomach
cancer, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins and the
French National Scientific Research Center.
Researchers
found that purified sulforaphane even killed H. pylori that
was resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics, and can
kill the bacterium whether it is inside or outside cells,
according to the study published in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences. In humans, cells lining the
stomach can be like reservoirs of H. pylori, making it more
difficult to heal the infection.
Even though
the pure compound kills H. pylori, researchers have yet to
see whether dietary sources of sulforaphane, including broccoli
or broccoli sprouts, have similar effects.
"We've
known for some time that sulforaphane had modest antibiotic
activity," said Jed Fahey, plant physiologist and lead
researcher. "However, its potency against helicobacter,
even those strains resistant to conventional antibiotics,
was a pleasant surprise."
Source:
Medical Week staff,
week of June 2, 2002
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