Broccoli may help fight arthritis

Plant component contained in broccoli can help prevent most forms of arthritis or alleviate the disease, the scientists from the UK, whose work is published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Osteoarthritis - a degenerative disease of the cartilage of the joints - in the UK are affected more than 8.5 million people. In 2011, the country had been more than 145,000 operations to replace knees and hips, according to a press release from the University of East Anglia in the UK (University of East Anglia). Typically, the development of the disease contributes to excess weight and general aging of the body. Drugs from her, except painkillers, there is currently no.

The substance sulforaphane found in cruciferous vegetables in the cabbage and Brussels, and in the greatest concentrations - in broccoli. It was previously established anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties of the organic compound.

Having conducted experiments on mice, as well as laboratory studies using human cartilage cells and cells of the cartilage of cows, the researchers found that sulforaphane blocks the enzymes that cause joint destruction.

Now scientists from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of East Anglia and of Norwich Medical School (Norwich Medical School) began clinical trials on a small group of patients with osteoarthritis who have a surgery to replace the knee joint. Half of the 40 patients over the past two weeks will receive a "super broccoli" - specially grown vegetable with a high content of sulforaphane. After surgery, the researchers will explore whether the change in the metabolism of joint tissues.