Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Superbacterial Properties of Sulforaphane from Shepherd's Purse

Abstract

Shepherd's purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik., has been considered a health food for centuries in Asia and is known to contain the isothiocyanate compound sulforaphane. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of a sulforaphane-containing solution (SCS) isolated from shepherd's purse. SCS had significant anti-inflammatory activity indicated by the decreased levels of nitric oxide (NO), cytokines (interleukin 1 beta [IL-1 beta], IL-6, and IL-10), and prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. In addition, SCS decreased the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) levels, which confirmed the anti- inflammatory activity of S CS. Further, SCS inhibited vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and Bacillus anthracis. The minimal inhibitory concentration was 250 mu g/ml for VRE and 1,000 mu g/ml for B. anthracis. Taken together, these data indicate that SCS has potential anti-inflammatory and anti-superbacterial properties, and thus it can be used as a functional food or pharmaceutical.