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Botany
A headless member of the cabbage family.
The flowers are numerous in compact clusters. Flowers are harvested
green and sold in the market as vegetable.
Distribution
Cultivated especially
in the Baguio area.
Parts
used
Flowers and leaves.
Chemical constituents
and properties
• Considered anthelmintic,
cardiotonic, diuretic, laxative and stomachic.
• Leaves are cardiotonic and stomachic.
• Phytochemicals: Glucosinolates, dithiolthiones, indoles, glucoraphanin,
S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide, isothiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol.
• High in antioxidaqnt and anticancer compounds.
Uses
Nutrition
Good source of vitamin A,
vitamin B complex, vitamin C and minerals.
Good for anemia because of abundant iron content.
Folkloric
- Externally used for gout
and rheumatism.
- Decoction of flowers are carminative, emollient, diuretic.
- Poultice of leaves used for cleaning infected wounds – midrib
removed, leaf ironed and placed on wound while hot.
- Used for gastrointestinal maladies.
- Both leaves and flowers are used for scurvy and xerophthalmia.
Studies
• Antioxidative / Anti-Diabetic: Study on the
antioxidative effect and protective potention against diabetes in both
in vitro and diabetic rat model showed an antioxidative effect and protection
against diabetic-induced oxidative stress in an in-vivo model. (2) Study showed antioxidant and glucose lowering activitides in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
• Biologic Activities / Constituents: (1) Studies show decreased
mortality rates in radiation-exposed lab animals fed broccoli and cabbage (2) Some isothiocyanates have been shown to inhibit tumors induced
by chemical carcinogens. (3) Rats fed with indole glucobrassicin showed lower incidence of chemically induced tumors (4) Studies also suggest compounds in broccoli can protect against
macular degeneration. (5) Indole-3-carbinol showed preventive
effects on endometrial carcinogenesis in mice. (6) Inhibitory effects of sulforaphane on H. pylori and prevents
benzo-a-pyrene-induced stomach tumors. (8) Cancer cells with a lot of Bcl-2 has increased resistance to
chemotherapy drugs. Study showed that Bcl-2 can not protect cancer cells
against vegetable phytochemic isothiocyanates.
• Anti-cancer: Compounds
found in cruciferous vegetables were found to block lung cancer progression
in animal studies and tests on human lung cancer cells.
• Antioxidant / COPD/ Smoking:
Study showed broccoli can boost antioxidants that counter chemical triggers
to COPD and other negative effects of tobacco smoke.
• Antioxidative: Study on the
antioxidative effect and protective potention against diabetes in both
in vitro and diabetic rat model showed an antioxidative effect and protection
against diabetic-induced oxidative stress in an in-vivo model.
• Wound Healing: Administration of topical cabbage extract and egg while once a day in second degree burn wounds showed enhancement of healing. Results were comparable to silver suphadiazin group.
• Hepatoprotective / Antioxidant: Study suggests broccoli possesses hepatoprotective activity probably through it antioxidative effects on hepatocytes due to its flavonoids and sulfurated compounds.
• Diabetic Nephropathy Amelioration : Daily ingestion of RC polar extract ameliorates oxidative stress and ameliorates diabetic nephropathy.
Availability
Cultivated. |
