Sulforaphane: The Principal Broccoli Phytochemical as a Cancer Challenger

Abstract

Broccoli has long been reported to exert a positive impact on human health. It contains high levels of isocyanates, the most important of which is sulforaphane (SFN). Numerous studies have demonstrated that SFN can be used as an effective supplement for treating a variety of diseases. In addition, it is known to possess anti-cancer properties such as chemopreventive properties against gastrointestinal, breast, lung, bladder, prostate, and other cancers. The reported data indicates that broccoli could be a potent inhibitor of cancer development and progression and can be used alone or in combination with other isocyanates or conventional anti-cancer medications. Because in vivo studies of SFN’s effects are scarce, this review provides an overview of the beneficial effects of SFN on different malignant tumor cells performed mostly in vitro with an expectation that the results will incite research in humans.