Antioxidant-boosting compounds found in broccoli and other plants appear to block an enzyme that triggers inflammation in joints.Called sulphoraphane, the compound has already been shown to fight cancer cell growth. But new experiments on human cells show that a diet rich in sulphoraphane might also be good for arthritic joints, or for sportspeople putting their joints under a lot of pressure. A team from Johns Hopkins university added the broccoli compound to a dish containing chondrocyte cells from human joints. After 24 hours, the cells were subjected to a stress test designed to mimic aspects of strenuous exercise on a joint. Heavy exertion can cause the joints to increase the levels of COX-2 enzyme in joints, which triggers inflammation and pain, and suppresses the activity of phase 2 enzymes. This ultimately kills chondrocytic cells, and when chondrocytes stop functioning properly, arthritis can develop. But sulphoraphane has previously been found to boost the activity of helpful phase 2 enzymes, and the laboratory test confirmed this effect.
