A UIC researcher has developed a synthetic compound called oxomate derived from sulforaphane found naturally in broccoli. In laboratory studies, oxomate was found to be less toxic than sulforaphane and prevented breast cancer in rats exposed to cancer-causing substances, with rats receiving oxomate having half as many tumors as those without. The researcher envisions oxomate being used as a preventative pill on its own or combined with existing drugs like Tamoxifen to provide definitive breast cancer protection through a daily dose, though human trials are at least 10 years away pending funding.

1. October 2002
Another reason to eat your greens?
UIC researcher’s broccoli derivative may prevent breast cancer
By Jeff Meredith
New research indicates that there are good reasons to pile your plate
with broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts even if you are not one to
greet such “rabbit food” with much enthusiasm. In addition to healthy
nutrients, they all contain sulforaphane, a cancer-preventive agent.
However, there may be an alternative for those carnivores not rushing
to eat their greens. How about a broccoli pill to prevent cancer?
That’s what University of Illinois-Chicago researcher Jerry Kosmeder
envisions. He and colleagues at UIC and the National Cancer Institute
have labored over a broccoli extract that could prevent breast cancer.
Oxomate is a synthetic compound developed from sulforaphane, and
it’s designed to be less harmful to the body.
Sulforaphane, the natural broccoli compound, can be toxic in high
doses. In laboratory studies, it has killed cultured animal cells above
certain levels. It is also expensive to synthesize. To make oxomate,
scientists looked to eliminate the chemical components responsible for
sulforaphane’s toxicity.
“We know that sulforaphane has a certain toxicity level that cannot be
breached. We wanted to see if we could modify that,” said Kosmeder.
“With some additional chemistry, we modified the compound in a
couple ways to do that and that’s how oxomate was born.”
Kosmeder performed studies on female rats exposed to cancer-causing
substances and found that animals fed oxomate had half as many
breast tumors as those which didn’t receive the compound. The
toxicity concerns are also being put to rest—in tests on cultured liver
cells, oxomate was seven times less toxic than its cousin sulforaphane.
On the heels of these results, Kosmeder said he is looking at other
organ sites where oxomate might prove effective. He envisions
oxomate being used with other cancer preventive agents like

2. Tamoxifen, currently the only FDA approved drug for breast cancer
prevention.
“We have the provisional patent on it. We’re hoping that if it does show
multiple organ site prevention, that eventually some pharma would
certainly license it out,” said Kosmeder. “And perhaps have [oxomate]
in conjunction with [a drug] already known like Tamoxifen. Tamoxifen
is used for breast cancer prevention but it works with a different
method than oxomate does. So both of them would have abilities [if
integrated].”
While no one will discourage you from eating your vegetables,
Kosmeder sees an even greater benefit through a daily pill that could
provide definitive protection.
“You know that your specific dose is going to give you specific
protection—as opposed to fruits and vegetables where the
consumption varies, the amount of protection varies. [With a pill] you
know one day to the next how much protection you’re getting,” said
Kosmeder.
Of course, you won’t be rushing to the store for your broccoli pill
anytime soon. The time horizon is at least ten years, said Kosmeder.
“Unfortunately, prevention medical trials are really a minimum five
years. Of course, the money is a big issue too,” said Kosmeder. “So if
all the funding came into place at the timing that it needed to be and
everything looked good, we’re probably talking not until at least 10
years from now.”