Sulforaphane decreases the acumulation and toxicity of the heavy metal Arsenic in liver cells

Sulforaphane activates Nrf2. Nrf2 is a very important transcription factor; transcription factors control genes and their activity. Nrf2 controls detoxification enzyme genes and is needed to deactivate and excrete xenobiotics; xenobiotics ere often dangerous agents not normal to the human body including drugs, pesticides,chemical estrogens, and synthetics. Exposing the liver cells of lab animals to sulforaphane activates Nrf2 and significantly increases liver detoxification proteins that excrete arsenic; a heavy metal that causes skin discoloration and a number of dangerous cancers. Also treating liver cells with Sulforaphane a day before exposing them to arsenic enabled the liver cells to expel the arsenic and prevented dangerous arsenic acumulation. The Sulforaphane genuinely decreased the cellular toxicity of the heavy metal arsenic. The study is published in the February 24th, 2006 issue of FEBS Letters; published by Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

Studies show it is not the caffeine which helps decrease the risk of developing diabetes but probably the polyphenols.

Berry phenolics selectively destroy intestinal microbes that cause infections in humans

Phenolic compounds present in some berries selectively inhibit the growth of human intestinal pathogens; infectious disease causing microbes. These compounds are especially rich in both raspberries and creeping raspberries, cranberries, strawberries, and bilberry. These berry phenolics possess clear antimicrobial activity against dangerous pathogens such as salmonella and staphylococcus bacteria. Complex phenolics such as ellagitannins are strong antibacterial agents present in raspberry, creeping raspberry, and strawberry. The different berries block infectious microbe activity in different ways. for instance, bacteria must first attach and adhere to the lining of the intestines to colonize and cause an infectious disease. Some of the berry phenolics block the adherence of the bacteria to the intestinal wall therefore obviously preventing an infection. Breaking down the berries, such as with enzymes increase the amount of available protective polyphenols and increases the ability of the berry to destroy infectious bacteria. The study is published in Biofactors 2005;23(4).