Stroke is the second cause of death in Spain (the first in women), the first cause of acquired disability in adults and the second cause of dementia, according to data from the Ministry of Health, and its incidence is expected to continue increasing due to to the progressive aging of the population. Now, a world-first study has found that broccoli, a common cruciferous vegetable, could help prevent and treat strokes.
The research has been carried out for three years by scientists at the Heart Research Institute (HRI) and in preclinical trials it was confirmed that a natural chemical present in broccoli can reduce the formation of harmful blood clots which, in some cases, can lead to a stroke, as well as improving the effectiveness of thrombolytic medications afterwards.
About 85% of strokes are caused by the formation of a harmful blood clot in the brain (also known as an acute ischemic attack), which is a major cause of disability. This discovery has been published in ACS Central Science and principal investigator Dr. Xuyu (Johnny) Liu has stated that it lays the foundation for the development of new life-saving drugs.
A stroke medicine without side effects
“After a patient suffers an ischemic stroke, they are treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a type of thrombolytic medication to slow the progression of brain damage. Unfortunately, it is only successful in 20% of cases,” explained the Dr. Liu.
The scientist adds: “What we found in a preclinical trial is that the success rate of tPA increases to 60% when the drug is administered together with the compound derived from broccoli. “Excitingly, this natural compound does not cause any signs of bleeding, which is a common side effect associated with anticoagulant agents tested in the treatment of stroke.”
“The broccoli compound could also be used as a preventive agent for patients who are at high risk of suffering a stroke”
“This means we could see paramedics treating ischemic stroke patients with a broccoli-based medication, as well as tPA on the way to the hospital,” he said. Initial tests also showed that once administered, broccoli-derived molecules were also able to delay the onset of a stroke. “Not only is the broccoli compound effective in improving the performance of thrombolytic medication after stroke, but it could also be used as a preventative agent for patients who are at high risk of suffering from stroke,” said Dr. Liu.
The person responsible for the discovery about broccoli was Ivy Guan, a 25-year-old doctoral student, who works on the research team under the guidance of Dr. Liu, who highlighted the satisfaction she received from making a discovery that has the potential to make a difference: “I was originally attracted to this project because I have a strong interest in the use of natural products as medicine.” “A lot of the research I do is very limited to the lab, but this is something that can go out into the world and can impact people in their normal daily lives and encourage people to be healthier,” she adds.
The research team is focusing its work on clinical trials, with the possibility that a new preventative and anticoagulant treatment for stroke will be available in as little as five years. Dr. Liu believes the drug may have broader use in diseases where blood clotting or thrombosis is involved.
“We are very excited to have isolated a natural compound that can have enormous beneficial effects. “Our studies will continue to explore how highly purified plant compounds may have beneficial effects on disease processes.” “We want to understand how nature is giving us gifts to improve our health. We have already discovered another compound from a different plant that shows promise in thrombotic diseases,” concludes Dr. Liu.
