Fighting Cancer with Plants

An individual’s diet plays an important role in the development of cancer. It has been found that cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and kale are some of the most helpful food families. Researchers have found that spraying broccoli with a plant hormone called methyl jasmonate will greater increase its’ cancer fighting potential. Methyl jasmonate is a natural hormone used to protect the plants from insects and pests. The plant hormone has been shown to have an effect on the glucosinolates (GSs) and the fragments produced when GSs are broken down within the plant. Methyl jasmonate increases the GSs in broccoli and is capable of maximizing the enzyme that is used to aid in the removal of carcinogens. Researchers studied the plant hormones effect on various types of broccoli to determine the type of broccoli with the best reaction from the addition of the hormone with hopes of using this information to find a superior broccoli and then begin breeding.

The research findings can be found in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/267585.php