Diabetes has become one of the most serious public health problems in the world. In 2015, data released by the International Diabetes Alliance showed that the mortality rate of diabetes was greater than that of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined, and about one diabetes patient died every six seconds. The number of adult diabetics worldwide has reached 415 million. 

 Common treatments for diabetes include controlling diet and taking drugs such as metformin. The core problem of type II diabetes is the slow response of cells to insulin, resulting in relatively insufficient insulin function and a series of metabolic disorders. 

 At present, the best diabetic drug in clinic is metformin, which can provide cellular sensitivity to insulin. However, metformin is very harmful to the kidneys, and a considerable number of patients are unable to use this bitter medicine due to kidney toxicity and side effects. The latest clinical study found that broccoli seedling extract radish thion has a therapeutic effect on type 2 diabetes. The results are very unexpected, but they also seem to be taken for granted, which provides a new strategy for the clinical treatment of diabetes. 

 Plant diet has a certain effect on diabetes, especially broccoli. Studies have shown that radish thiocin, a compound rich in broccoli sprouts, can reduce blood sugar levels in diabetic mice. Radish thidin, also known as thiothane, is an isothiocyanate obtained by hydrolysis of thioglucoside through black mustard enzyme in plants. It is rich in cruciferous plants such as broccoli, mustard and northern round carrots.

The Anders Rosengren research team of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found that this effect is also reflected in the human body. The study was published in Science TranslationalMedicine on the 14th. 

 In this new study, the researchers analyzed the gene expression patterns associated with type 2 diabetes and compared them with the gene markers of thousands of candidate drugs to find compounds related to gene expression specificity in hepatocytes. The researchers finally found radish sulfide from these compounds, a common natural compound in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, which has a strong effect on diabetes-related gene expression. The researchers then cultivated hepatocytes from type 2 diabetic rats and treated them with radish thiolin. It was found that radish thiocin can inhibit glucose production in culture cells and improve glucose tolerance in high-fat or high-sugar diet mice. In view of the optimistic results of cell and animal experiments, the researchers then conducted clinical trials. 

 The study recruited 97 patients with type II diabetes to take high concentrations of radish thiodin or placebo every day for three months. Three of the subjects did not take metformin, and the others continued to take it during the trial. Three subjects were able to control blood sugar levels without metformin. Compared with the placebo control group, the blood sugar of those who took radish thionin decreased by an average of 10%. Diabetic obese patients with "abnormal regulation" have the largest drop in blood glucose levels, and their baseline blood glucose concentration.

10% doesn't sound like that much, but it's enough to reduce the risk of complications in the eyes and kidneys. The concentration of radish sulfurin is about 100 times that of broccoli. Rosengren said, "It is equivalent to eating 5 kilograms of broccoli every day." Therefore, it seems difficult to achieve such an effect by eating broccoli. 

 The study also found that the way of sulfine radish to lower blood sugar is completely different from that of metformin. Metformin makes cells more sensitive to insulin response, allowing cells to consume too much sugar in the blood. Radish sulfide reduces the release of glucose from the liver to the blood by inhibiting the enzyme activity of the liver that drives glucose production. This suggests that radish sulfine and metformin can be used in combination. The research team is working with the Swedish Farmers' Association to seek approval of bronland pollen as a drug. 

 Radisulfide is a classic compound. Its main biological function is to activate a transcription factor Nrf2 in the cell. Nrf2 is the common transcription factor of two-phase detoxification enzyme and antioxidant enzyme. It is the most important regulator that regulates the expression of a variety of antioxidant synthase and antioxidant enzyme gene, and maintains the oxidox balance of cells. It is also an important regulator of the inflammatory balance in the body. Sulfurine is the strongest natural activator, so a large number of studies have found that this natural substance has the ability to improve the body's own antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ability, and is a key factor in the fight against cancer in many foods such as broccoli.