Cabbage could be the key to protecting people
from radiation during cancer therapy, new research has shown.
The Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer
Centre study found that a compound derived from cruciferous vegetables - such
as cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli - protected rats and mice from lethal
doses of radiation.
The American researchers' work suggests the
compound, already shown to be safe for humans, may protect normal tissues
during radiation therapy for cancer treatment, and prevent or mitigate sickness
caused by radiation exposure.
The compound - known as DIM - previously has
been found to have cancer preventative properties. But the study's
corresponding author, Doctor Eliot Rosen, said: "This is the first
indication that DIM can also act as a radiation protector."
The research was published in the journal Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences.
