喬治城大學醫學中心的研究人員發現，花椰菜、高麗菜和甘藍等十字花科的蔬菜中，含有能保護大鼠和小鼠不受致命輻射劑量傷害的物質，並將此研究發表於15日的《美國國家科學院學報》。
研究顯示，已知這種存在於十字花科蔬菜內的物質對人體無害，還可能可以保護正常組織不受癌症放射療的輻射線傷害。科學家說，此種物質可能也能預防或減緩暴露於核災輻射線引起的病症。
此物質叫做「3,3' - 二吲哚甲烷」或「DIM」，曾在實驗環境下表現出預防癌症的特性和多重抗癌效果。「DIM作為抗癌物質的研究已經行之有年，但這是首次發現它也有抗輻射的效果。」研究共同作者、喬治敦Lombardi綜合癌症中心的Eliot Rosen博士說。
在實驗中，研究者對大鼠施以致命劑量的伽瑪射線，並在10分鐘內注射DIM，之後每日注射，為期兩周。「所有沒接受DIM注射的大鼠皆死亡，但注射DIM的大鼠在暴露於輻射後還可存活超過30天。」Rosen說，不管是暴露於輻射24小時內或24小時後給予DIM注射，都能展現保護的效果。Rosen是腫瘤、生物化學、細胞和分子生物學及放射醫學等領域的教授。
「我們的實驗也顯示，DIM能保護暴露於致命劑量輻射的小鼠。」Rosen說。給予暴露於致命劑量輻射的小鼠DIM注射，能減緩紅血球、白血球和血小板數量減少的情形。紅血球、白血球和血小板數量減少是癌症病人接受放射治療常見的副作用。
Rosen表示，此研究指出DIM的兩個潛在用途，「DIM有機會用於保護放射治療癌症病患的正常組織，也可能用於保護暴露於核災危險的人們。」Rosen和兩位共同研究者Saijun Fan博士和Milton Brown博士正為DIM和DIM相關物質作為輻射防護劑申請專利。
※ 編註：台灣常見十字花科蔬菜包括：高麗菜、大白菜、花椰菜、青花菜、油菜、芥藍、包心白菜、包心芥菜、大頭菜、芥末等。
A compound derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale can protect rats and mice from lethal doses of radiation, Georgetown University Medical Center researchers have discovered.
Their study, published Tuesday in the journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” suggests the substance, already shown to be safe for humans, may protect normal tissues during radiation therapy for cancer treatment.
The scientists say the compound also may prevent or mitigate sickness from radiation exposure during a nuclear disaster.
The compound 3,3′-diindolylmethane, known as DIM, has previously been found to have cancer preventive properties and multiple anticancer effects in experimental models.
“DIM has been studied as a cancer prevention agent for years, but this is the first indication that DIM can also act as a radiation protector,” says the study’s corresponding author, Eliot Rosen, MD, PhD, of Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.
For the study, the researchers irradiated rats with lethal doses of gamma ray radiation. The animals were then treated with a daily injection of DIM for two weeks, starting 10 minutes after the radiation exposure.
“All of the untreated rats died, but well over half of the DIM-treated animals remained alive 30 days after the radiation exposure,” said Rosen, a professor of oncology, biochemistry and cell and molecular biology, and radiation medicine.
Rosen said that DIM also provided protection whether the first injection was administered 24 hours before or up to 24 hours after the radiation exposure.
“We also showed that DIM protects the survival of lethally irradiated mice,” Rosen said.
Irradiated mice treated with DIM had less reduction in red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. These side effects are often seen in patients undergoing radiation treatment for cancer.
Rosen says this study points to two potential uses of the compound.
“DIM could protect normal tissues in patients receiving radiation therapy for cancer, but could also protect individuals from the lethal consequences of a nuclear disaster,” he said.
Rosen and study co-authors Saijun Fan, PhD, and Milton Brown, MD, PhD, are co-inventors on a patent application filed by Georgetown University related to the use of DIM and DIM-related compounds as radioprotectors.
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