Broccoli

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea was. italica) belongs to the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae), like all other types of cabbage. But (horse)radish, radishes, cress, rocket or mustard are also included (1). Originally, all types of cabbage come from the wild type Brassica oleracea was. oleracea whose origin is the Mediterranean and the west coasts of Europe. Only since the 20th In the 19th century, broccoli grew in importance. Today it can be grown in most countries around the world, including Germany. Broccoli is valued above all for its ingredients. It is rich in minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron, but also in vitamins (provitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins and folic acid) (2). Probably the most important ingredients are the glucosinolates (mustard oil glycosides). you or their breakdown products, the isothiocyanates (mustard oils), are said to have antioxidant and even anti-cancer properties. The mustard oil found in broccoli is sulforaphane (1, 2, 3).

Glucosinolatess, Isothiocyanate und Sulforaphan

Glucosinolate, also called mustard oil glycosides, such as the phenolic compounds of Olive, to the phytochemicals and are found in all cruciferous vegetables (1, 3).

Isothiocyanate, also called mustard oils, are the active breakdown products of glucosinolates. They usually only occur when the vegetables are processed. As soon as a plant cell is damaged, e.g. by cutting or biting, the enzyme myrosinase is released, which splits the glucosinolate into a mustard oil. Myrosinase is not only contained in cruciferous vegetables themselves, but also in our intestinal flora. Among other things, mustard oils are responsible for the pungent, sometimes bitter taste and typical smell of cruciferous vegetables (1).

Sulforaphan is the mustard oil found in broccoli. It is formed with the help of myrosinase from the glucosinolate glucoraphanin. Sulforaphane is said to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor properties (1). This is said to be mainly due to the activation of phase II enzymes and antioxidant factors (4)

How Phase II Enzymes Contribute to Detox

With food, the body is also supplied with many substances that are not needed or can even be toxic. So that these mostly fat-soluble foreign substances do not accumulate in the body, there is a very specific process, the foreign substance metabolism (also known as biotransformation). Here, the substances are made sufficiently water-soluble so that they can then be excreted via the kidneys and bile. This process is divided into 3 phases: phase I - modification, phase II - conjugation and phase III - elimination. In the first step, the foreign substance is modified (phase I enzymes). This is how some drugs unfold their effect, but the substance can also become more reactive or even more toxic. Nevertheless, this step is necessary so that the foreign substance can be made water-soluble by the phase II enzymes in the next step. The substance can then be eliminated, i.e. excreted (3). By activating the phase II enzymes, sulforaphane can promote the faster elimination of foreign substances in the body, i.e. detoxification. Detox), from which the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cell-protecting effects can be derived (4, 5).

Supporting detoxification with BroccoRaphanin®

Many studies have already shown that sulforaphane supports the detoxification process in the body and thus has anti-tumour, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. That's why we use BroccoRaphanin®, a unique extract from broccoli seeds, for our DetoxAgil dietary supplement. With BroccoRaphanin® we can optimally support the body's own detoxification, as it contains a naturally high content of at least 10% glucoraphanin, the precursor of sulforaphane. Thanks to the patented, gentle manufacturing process, these valuable ingredients are also particularly well protected (6).

Which AgilNature products contain BroccoRaphanin®?

*Nutrient Reference Value* Percentage of the reference value according to Annex XIII of the Food Information Regulation (EG) No. 1169/2011.

** No recommendation available.

 Literature:

1. Herr, Ingrid (2014): The Cruciferous Vegetables on the Crusade Against Cancer. In: Passion Surgery (June, 4 (06)).

2. Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (ed.) (2020): Cauliflower, Broccoli. Product information.

3. Biesalski, Hans Konrad; Bischoff, Stephan C.; Pirlich, Matthias; Weimann, Arved (ed.) (2018): Nutritional Medicine. Based on the curriculum for nutritional medicine of the German Medical Association. With the collaboration of Michael Adolph, Jann Arends, Ulrike Arens-Azevêdo and Christine von Arnim. 5th, completely revised and expanded edition. Stuttgart: Georg Thieme Verlag.

4. Hensel, Andreas; Lechtenberg, Matthias (2020): Broccoli-based dietary supplements – what is the quality situation like? In: Journal of Phytotherapy 41 (03), pp. 113-122.

5. Juge, N.; Mithen, R. F.; Traka, M. (2007): Molecular basis for chemoprevention by sulforaphane: a comprehensive review. In: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 64 (9), S. 1105–1127. DOI: 10.1007 / s00018-007-6484-5.

6. IFF Health (2022): Innovative Broccoli Raffinate. In: IFF Health. https://iff-health.com/portfolio/brocco-raphanin/ (accessed 2022-02-04)