Epidemiological evidence indicates several health benefits of the consumption of broccoli, especially related to chemoprevention. Because broccoli contains high amounts of selenium and glucosinolates (particularly glucoraphanin and isothiocyanate sulforaphane), which can produce redox-regulated cardioprotective protein thioredoxin (Trx), it was reasoned that consumption of broccoli could be beneficial to the heart. To test this hypothesis, a group of rats were fed broccoli (slurry made with water) through gavaging; control animals were gavaged water only. After 30 days, the rats were sacrificed; isolated hearts perfused via working mode were made ischemic for 30 min followed by 2 h of reperfusion. The results demonstrated significant cardioprotection with broccoli as evidenced by improved postischemic ventricular function, reduced myocardial infarct size, and decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis accompanied by reduced cytochrome c release and increased pro-caspase 3 activities. Ischemia/reperfusion reduced both RNA transcripts and protein levels of the thioredoxin superfamily including Trx1, Trx2, glutaredoxin Grx1, Grx2, and peroxiredoxin (Prdx), which were either restored or enhanced with broccoli. Broccoli enhanced the expression of Nrf2, a cytosolic suppressor of Keap1, suggesting a role of antioxidant response element (ARE) in the induction of Trx. Additionally, broccoli induced the expression of another cardioprotective protein, heme oxygenase (HO)-1, which could be transactivated during the activation of Trx. Examination of the survival signal revealed that broccoli caused the phosphorylation of Akt and the induction of Bcl2 in concert with the activation of redox-sensitive transcription factor NFκB and Src kinase, indicating a role of Akt, Bcl2, and cSrc in the generation of survival signal. Taken together, the results of the present study indicate that the consumption of broccoli triggers cardioprotection by generating a survival signal through the activation of several survival proteins and by redox cycling of thioredoxins.KEYWORDS: Broccoli; heart; cardioprotection; ischemia/reperfusion; thioredoxin; glutaredoxin; peroxiredoxin; Nrf2; redox signaling; survival signaling INTRODUCTIONEpidemiological studies have identified specific phytochemicals in Brassica vegetables that may confer protection against certain degenerative diseases such as cancer (1, 2). Certain cruciferous vegetables (mustard family) of the genus Brassica including cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts have been studied extensively because of their high nutritional values as they are rich sources of antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber but contain little fat and energy. These properties make them suitable for chemoprevention. In addition, recent studies have indicated that broccoli sprouts can induce carcinogendetoxifying enzymes (3).Among other chemicals, broccoli contains high concentrations of selenium and glucosinolates, particularly glucoraphanin and isothiocyanate sulforaphane (4), Sulforaphane can induce phase II enzym...

Recently, broccoli, a vegetable of the Brassica family, has been found to protect the myocardium from ischaemic reperfusion injury through the redox signalling of sulphoraphane, which is being formed from glucosinolate present in this vegetable. Since cooked broccoli loses most of its glucosinolate, we assumed that fresh broccoli could be a superior cardioprotective agent compared to cooked broccoli. To test this, two groups of rats were fed with fresh (steamed) broccoli or cooked broccoli for 30 d, while a third group was given vehicle only for the same period of time. After 30 d, all the rats were sacrificed, and the isolated working hearts were subjected to 30 min ischaemia followed by 2 h of reperfusion. Both cooked and steamed broccolis displayed significantly improved post-ischaemic ventricular function and reduced myocardial infarction and cardiomyocyte apoptosis compared to control, but steamed broccoli showed superior cardioprotective abilities compared with the cooked broccoli. Corroborating with these results, both cooked and steamed broccolis demonstrated significantly enhanced induction of the survival signalling proteins including Bcl2, Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, haemoxygenase-1, NFE2 related factor 2, superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and SOD2 and down-regulation of the proteins (e.g. Bax, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase) of the death signalling pathway, steamed broccoli displaying superior results over its cooked counterpart. The expressions of proteins of the thioredoxin (Trx) superfamily including Trx1 and its precursor sulphoraphane, Trx2 and Trx reductase, were enhanced only in the steamed broccoli group. The results of the present study documented superior cardioprotective properties of the steamed broccoli over cooked broccoli because of the ability of fresh broccoli to perform redox signalling of Trx.Broccoli: Cardioprotection: Ischaemia/reperfusion: Sulphoraphane

Sugarcane juice was collected from the local vendor and its physico-chemical properties like pH, brix, acidity, vitamin C and microbial count were measured by standard methods. Sugarcane juice beverage samples were prepared by pasteurizing the juice at different temperatures. Pasteurization were done of eight conical flasks which contain 100 ml of sugarcane juice per flask at different temperatures viz. 80, 85, 90, 95°C for 2 min. Samples of sugarcane juice were stored at 25 and 4°C in presterilized glass bottles and analyzed vitamin C and microbiological attributes at every 2 days interval for 25 days. The vitamin C decreased, whereas, microbial count increased significantly (P \ 0.01) during storage. The changes in different attributes were significantly (P \ 0.01) higher at 25°C as compared to 4°C. Sugarcane juice pasteurized at 90°C for 2 min and stored at 4°C was shown the best result so again pasteurization was done of sugarcane juice at 90°C for 30 s, 1 min, 2 min, 5 min and stored at 4°C and analyzed for physico-chemical properties like pH, brix, acidity, vitamin C and microbiological attributes at every 2 days interval for 25 days. The pH and vitamin C decreased, whereas, titratable acidity and microbial count increased significantly (P \ 0.01) during storage. The best result was obtained from the juice which was pasteurized at 90°C for 5 min and stored at 4°C, after 25 days the vitamin C 4.7 mg/ml, microbial content 50/1 ml, brix 10, acidity 0.072 mol/l, pH 4. An acceptable quality beverage of sugarcane juice with satisfactory storage stability for 25 days at 4°C could be prepared.

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