Researchers at Swinburne University in Australia have found that sulforaphane, a natural compound in broccoli, can raise levels of frataxin, a protein that people with Friedreich ataxia lack. The compound also helped protect vulnerable nerve cells from damage.
Friedreich ataxia is a rare genetic disease that slowly destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, taking away the ability to walk, coordinate movement and speak. There is no cure, and about 200 Australians live with it. Many patients are children, and no treatment is specifically approved for them.
Sulforaphane also appears to act on cellular stress and inflammation, two other drivers of the disease. Lead researcher Associate Professor Faith Kwa said it targets the underlying cause and could become an affordable, accessible therapy worldwide.
The compound already has an established safety record in children and adults, and purified forms are commercially available, which could make it easier to develop into a treatment.
