Sulforaphane Treatment Protects Skeletal Muscle Against Damage Induced by Exhaustive Exercise in Rats

Sulforaphane treatment protects skeletal muscle against damage induced by exhaustive exercise in rats.

J Appl Physiol. 2009 Oct;107(4):1028-36. Epub 2009 Aug 27.

Malaguti M, Angeloni C, Garatachea N, Baldini M, Leoncini E, Collado PS, Teti G, Falconi M, Gonzalez-Gallego J, Hrelia S.

Dipartimento di Biochimica G. Moruzzi, Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, Via Irnerio, 48, Bologna 40126, Italy.

Sulforaphane (SF), one of the most important isothiocyanates in the human diet, present in cruciferous vegetables, is known to have chemopreventive activities in different tissues. No data are available on its effects in the prevention of skeletal muscle damage. In this study, we investigated the potential protective effects of SF treatment on muscle damage and oxidative stress induced by an acute bout of exhaustive exercise in rats. Male Wistar rats were treated with SF (25 mg/kg body wt ip) for 3 days before undergoing an acute exhaustive exercise protocol in a treadmill (+7% slope and 24 m/min). Acute exercise resulted in a significant increase in plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activities. It also resulted in a significant increase in thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, in a significant decrease in tissue total antioxidant capacity, and in a significant decrease in NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) expression and activity in vastus lateralis muscle. SF treatment significantly increased muscle NQO1, glutathione-S-transferase, and glutathione reductase expression and activity, with no effect on glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase. The observed SF-induced upregulation of phase II enzymes was accompanied by a significant increase in nuclear erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 expression and correlated with a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity and a decrease in plasma LDH and CPK activities. Our data demonstrate that sulforaphane acts as an indirect antioxidant in skeletal muscle and could play a critical role in the modulation of the muscle redox environment, leading to the prevention of exhaustive exercise-induced muscle damage.

 

Note from ISS:  Several crucifer sprouts including broccoli sprouts are currently the most potent natural source of sulforaphane known.

“Broccoli sprouts have a very high concentration of sulforaphane since this compound originates in the seed and is not made in the plant as it grows. One sprout contains all of the sulforaphane that is present in a full grown broccoli plant.” 

“Nutrition and cancer: a review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet” Nutr J. 2004 Oct 20;3:19, Donaldson MS. Hallelujah Acres Foundation, 13553 Vantage Hwy, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA.