Sulforaphane is a compound found in nature that directly blocks the human SXR/hPXR receptor, which controls the production of enzymes that break down drugs and toxins.
Mechanism
Synthesis from 1 study
Sulforaphane sticks to a liver receptor that normally turns on a drug-breaking enzyme. When it sticks, the receptor can't turn on the enzyme anymore. This means drugs are broken down more slowly.
Most probable mechanism
Sulforaphane attaches to a specific receptor in liver cells that normally turns on enzymes to break down drugs. When sulforaphane binds, it blocks the receptor from activating the gene that makes the CYP3A4 enzyme. Without this enzyme, the liver cannot process certain drugs as quickly.
Sulforaphane binds directly to the ligand-binding domain of the steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR/hPXR)
Binding of sulforaphane prevents SXR/hPXR from recruiting coactivator proteins required for transcriptional activation
Inhibition of SXR/hPXR transcriptional activity reduces expression of the CYP3A4 gene
Reduced CYP3A4 enzyme levels decrease the catalytic clearance of its substrate drugs
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Community contributions welcome
The Dietary Isothiocyanate Sulforaphane Is an Antagonist of the Human Steroid and Xenobiotic Nuclear Receptor
Contradicting (0)
Community contributions welcome
Gold Standard Evidence Needed
According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.