McCord Research Makes Major Progress Towards Asthma Clinical Trials with Key Broccoli Compound

CORALVILLE, Iowa, May 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- McCord Research has recently focused investigations on a key broccoli compound, sulforaphane, in relation to its effects on asthma according to D. Elizabeth McCord, PhD, the company's CEO. "We have an excellent team of researchers in Australia conducting the research. Their work has the potential of developing treatments for patients suffering from asthma and related inflammatory diseases," stated Dr. McCord. A recently published review of various sulforaphane clinical studies contributes to this vital work.

McCord Research's Principal Investigator and Head of the Epigenomic Medicine Program at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, Tom Karagiannis, PhD, published the review and has led research on sulforaphane for the past ten years. This compound that is found in the highest concentration in broccoli sprouts, but also found in other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower or cabbage, was first recognized as a cancer chemopreventative.

"In the last couple of years, research has increased exponentially on sulforaphane. The review is closely linked with a major direction of McCord Research on the compound's anti-asthma effects," stated Dr. Karagiannis. Studies from the McCord Research team have highlighted the beneficial effects of sulforaphane in models of chronic allergic airways disease. Their research indicates that sulforaphane works by four different mechanisms including through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, genetic and epigenetic effects as well as direct dilation of lung airways.

"Of course, we are using purified and directly injected, sulforaphane in our experiments, therefore, it is important that people take their usual prescription medications," cautioned Dr Karagiannis. The race is currently on to develop a therapeutic-grade version of sulforaphane, or to optimize concentrations that can be achieved by consuming supplements for therapeutic effects.

A large body of work that includes the review published in Clinical Nutrition last month is now in progress with the ultimate goal of developing pharmaceutical-grade sulforaphane for clinical trials. More than 100 clinical trials related to this important compound and its effects on various types of diseases were examined in the review.

Accumulating evidence suggests that the beneficial effects of sulforaphane may extend to enhancing the immune system. As highlighted in the review, recent findings also indicate that sulforaphane improves behavioral patterns of children with autism spectrum disorder. The next exciting step for the McCord Research team is to perform human clinical trials in the context of asthma.

McCord Research is a research firm in Coralville, Iowa that has an extensive intellectual portfolio in compounds found in olives. Sulforaphane provides the company with an expanded area of research as it examines cures to inflammatory and age-related diseases. 

McCord Research is located at 2769 Heartland Dr., Suite 303, Coralville, IA. For further information, call 319-351-3201 or go to: www.mccordresearch.com

SOURCE McCord Research

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