Therapeutic potential of isothiocyanates by targeting the NRF2 pathway.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing preclinical mechanisms and clinical intervention studies without systematic review methodology.
PubMed 41819504 · doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2026.03.029
What was done
Narrative review summarizing preclinical and clinical literature on isothiocyanates (including sulforaphane) and their modulation of the KEAP1/NRF2 cytoprotective pathway across conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, liver and kidney disorders, and neurological diseases, alongside safety, pharmacokinetics, and clinical trials.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data, statistical estimates, or pooled effect sizes. It qualitatively describes isothiocyanates as potent inducers of mammalian cytoprotective responses to electrophilic and oxidative stress through KEAP1/NRF2 signaling.
Why it matters
Synthesizes current mechanistic and translational evidence on how broccoli-derived and related isothiocyanates target stress-response pathways across chronic human diseases.
Limits
The abstract provides no quantitative outcomes, sample sizes, or formal risk-of-bias assessments. Because it is a narrative review largely based on preclinical models, findings cannot establish clinical efficacy or safety.