Epidemiological evidence has suggested that consumption of a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables reduces the risk of several types of
cancers and chronic degenerative diseases. In particular, broccoli sprouts are a convenient and rich source of the
glucosinolate,
glucoraphanin, which can release the chemopreventive agent,
sulforaphane, an inducer of
glutathione S-
transferases. Two broccoli sprout-derived beverages, one
sulforaphane-rich (SFR) and the other
glucoraphanin-rich (GRR), were evaluated for pharmacodynamic action in a crossover clinical trial design. Study participants were recruited from the farming community of He Zuo Township, Qidong, China, previously documented to have a high incidence of
hepatocellular carcinoma with concomitant exposures to
aflatoxin and more recently characterized with exposures to substantive levels of airborne
pollutants. Fifty healthy participants were randomized into two treatment arms. The study protocol was as follows: a 5 days run-in period,
a 7 days administration of beverage, a 5 days washout period and
a 7 days administration of the opposite beverage. Urinary excretion of the mercapturic
acids of
acrolein,
crotonaldehyde,
ethylene oxide and
benzene were measured both pre- and postinterventions using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Statistically significant increases of 20-50% in the levels of excretion of
glutathione-derived conjugates of
acrolein,
crotonaldehyde and
benzene were seen in individuals receiving SFR, GRR or both compared with their preintervention baseline values. No significant differences were seen between the effects of SFR versus GRR. Intervention with broccoli sprouts may enhance detoxication of airborne
pollutants and attenuate their associated health risks.