Dietary sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprouts reduce colonization and attenuate gastritis in Helicobacter pylori-infected mice and humans.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial in humans, supported by animal experiments
PubMed 19349290 · doi:10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-08-0192
What was done
Researchers investigated the effects of sulforaphane (SF)-rich broccoli sprouts on Helicobacter pylori infection in both mice and humans. In the animal model, C57BL/6 female mice (wild-type and Nrf2-knockout) fed a high-salt diet were infected with H. pylori and treated orally with broccoli sprouts. In the clinical trial, 48 H. pylori-infected patients were randomized to consume either 70 g/day of broccoli sprouts (containing 420 µmol of SF precursor glucoraphanin) or an equal weight of non-SF alfalfa sprouts (placebo) for 8 weeks. Colonization and inflammation were assessed via urea breath testing, stool antigen assays, and serum pepsinogens I and II, with follow-up 2 months after discontinuation.
What was found
In mice, broccoli sprout treatment reduced bacterial colonization, lowered mucosal TNF-alpha and IL-1beta expression, mitigated corpus inflammation, and prevented high salt-induced gastric corpus atrophy; these effects were abolished in Nrf2-knockout mice. In the human trial, broccoli sprouts—but not the alfalfa placebo—decreased urea breath test levels, stool antigen, and serum pepsinogens I and II. However, these biomarker reductions were temporary, returning to pre-treatment baseline levels 2 months after stopping the intervention. The abstract reports directional changes without specific numerical values, percentages, or p-values.
Why it matters
This study shows that dietary sulforaphane can act via Nrf2-dependent pathways to reduce H. pylori colonization and attenuate gastric inflammation. However, because colonization rebounded after cessation, dietary sulforaphane functions as a suppressive and chemoprotective strategy rather than a curative antimicrobial eradication regimen.
Limits
The clinical trial had a small sample size (48 patients), and the abstract provides no exact numerical data, confidence intervals, or p-values. The intervention suppressed but failed to permanently eradicate H. pylori infection, as biomarkers reverted to baseline within 2 months of discontinuation.
Cited by
- supports Sulforaphane exerts protective antimicrobial effects against Helicobacter pylori and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).