The Study
The Dietary Isothiocyanate Sulforaphane Is an Antagonist of the Human Steroid and Xenobiotic Nuclear Receptor
This study found that a chemical in broccoli can block a specific protein in liver cells in a test tube. It doesn't show that eating broccoli changes how drugs work in people — just what might happen in a lab dish.
Analysis score
Maximum 58 for a case-control study.
Where the score came from
A chemical in broccoli called sulforaphane sticks to a protein in the liver that normally turns on drug-cleaning enzymes, and stops it from working.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 520 / 100
Quality score
Researchers compare people who have a condition (cases) with similar people who do not (controls), looking back in time for differences in exposure. Useful but more prone to bias.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — if this happens in people, eating broccoli might change how drugs work in the body, possibly preventing some drug interactions.
- 2Sulforaphane blocked the SXR protein from turning on CYP3A4, a key enzyme that breaks down drugs, and reduced drug clearance in human liver cells.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Molecular Pharmacology
Year
2007
Authors
Changcheng Zhou, Emma-Jane Poulton, F. Grün, T. Bammler, B. Blumberg, K. Thummel, D. Eaton
Related Content
Claims (4)
Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane, and sulforaphane triggers the activation of cellular pathways that defend against oxidative stress.
Sulforaphane, a compound in broccoli, attaches to a specific receptor in human liver cells and reduces the activation of an enzyme that breaks down drugs and toxins.
Sulforaphane decreases the levels and function of the liver enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 by blocking the receptor that activates this enzyme when the body encounters foreign substances.
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.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.