Broccoli Compound Sulforaphane Shows Early Promise Against Rare Nerve Disease

Friedreich ataxia is a rare inherited neurological disease that develops as neurons in the brain and spinal cord deteriorate, progressively affecting movement, speech and survival. About 200 Australians have the condition, for which there is currently no cure. Researchers at Swinburne University in Australia are now investigating whether a compound found in broccoli could help treat it.

In laboratory research using nerve cells grown from induced pluripotent stem cells, the team found that sulforaphane, a natural compound present in broccoli, can raise levels of frataxin, the protein that is deficient in people with Friedreich ataxia. Sulforaphane also helped protect vulnerable nerve cells from damage, and was found to affect other disease-related processes, including cellular stress and inflammation.

Study lead author Associate Professor Faith Kwa said the findings matter because there are currently no treatments approved specifically for children, even though children make up most people affected by the disease. She said sulforaphane already has an established safety record in children and adults, and its pure, bioactive form is already commercially available, which could speed a path to patients if clinical trials succeed.

The researchers are now seeking funding to run clinical trials that would further test the compound's effect in people with Friedreich ataxia. Kwa noted that the disease's rarity limits public awareness of it, which in turn can make research funding harder to secure.