Cauliflower can be used as a "scavenger" for the lungs

In addition to cancer prevention, broccoli contains an active compound called sulforaphane, which helps the immune system clean up harmful bacteria in the lungs and can be used for lung disease treatment, US scientists reported in the latest issue of Science Translational Medicine In order to ensure the normal operation of the lungs, macrophages, the immune cells called scavengers, need to constantly "sweep out" the debris and bacteria that accumulate in the lungs and cause infection However, a chemical pathway related to macrophage activation in the lungs of smokers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Nrf2, has been completely destroyed, resulting in the absence of a cleaning system Law operation Scientists have found that sulforaphane, a chemical found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, can restore the Nrf2 channel when it is damaged (such as chewed) Shane biswal, a scientist at Johns Hopkins University, and colleagues exposed aberrant macrophages in the lungs of 43 COPD patients to two bacterial strains that cause COPD infection The results showed that when sulforaphane appeared, the performance of Nrf2 channel was improved, and macrophages also recovered the ability to recognize and devour bacteria The scientists then exposed the two groups of mice to smoke for one week and six months, and finally found that more and more bacteria accumulated in their lungs, similar to what happened in COPD patients After treatment of mice with sulforaphane, there were fewer and fewer bacteria Scientists say sulforaphane's function is not to activate more macrophages, but to significantly improve the function of existing cells The team has begun a second phase of clinical trials to test the effect of the compound on COPD patients and see if it improves lung function.