Gaby
Broccoli has long been considered healthy. A new study from the University of Sydney reveals another important benefit.
One compound in broccoli may help prevent the blood clots that cause strokes. Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide.
What Scientists Discovered
Previous research has highlighted broccoli’s role in boosting the body’s resistance to diseases, including cancer.
The team ran lab tests on 23 broccoli compounds to see how they bind to blood platelets. Platelets help seal wounds and stop bleeding, but they can also form dangerous clots that block blood flow. In organs like the brain and heart, even a brief loss of oxygen can cause lasting damage.
They found that sulforaphane (SFN), a compound in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, can inhibit blood clotting. SFN has previously drawn interest for its potential in cancer prevention and lowering cholesterol.
Molecular analysis showed SFN can slow platelet aggregation and prevent clot formation under conditions similar to those in arteries. That appears to result from its alteration of a protein called PDIA6.
“Broccoli compounds not only boost the effectiveness of drugs that dissolve clots after a stroke, they could also be used to prevent strokes in high‑risk patients,” said biomedical researcher Xu Liu, the study’s lead author.
The findings make SFN a candidate for further study as a way to reduce stroke risk in vulnerable groups. That’s especially important because SFN occurs naturally in foods like broccoli, which are associated with heart health.
SFN could also be used in emergency settings. For example, it might help treat stroke patients and reduce brain damage. Those treatments could limit clot damage and save lives.
Current thrombolytics (tissue plasminogen activators, or tPA) prevent brain damage in only about 20 percent of cases. In mice experiments, combining SFN with tPA raised that success rate to 60 percent, according to Science Alert.
“The fact that SFN does not cause bleeding is important, since bleeding is a common side effect of blood‑thinning drugs used to treat strokes,” Dr. Xu Liu said.
This research is still in early stages. But the Australian team believes the results justify further study into stroke prevention.
The study matters because about 15 million people worldwide have strokes each year. Roughly one-third of those cases are fatal, and another third lead to disability.
The researchers say this points to a “huge positive effect” of eating broccoli: it may help prevent strokes and aid recovery.
The results of the study were published in the journal ACS Central Science.
