Glucoraphanin, the precursor of the widely extolled chemopreventive agent sulforaphane found in broccoli, has antioxidant activity.

Glucoraphanin reduces weight gain, enhances energy expenditure, improves insulin sensitivity, and glucose tolerance in HFD-fed mice, but it does not exert these effects in Nrf2-/-. It blocks HFD-induced reduction of Ucp1 protein levels in white adipose depots of wild-type mice but not in Nrf2-/-, alleviates HFD-induced hepatic steatosis and oxidative stress, and suppresses HFD-induced proinflammatory activation of macrophages in the liver and adipose tissue [1]. Additionally, pellets containing 0.1% Glucoraphanin (GF) significantly attenuate decreased social avoidance time and sucrose preference in stressed mice [2].

Male C57BL/6JSlc mice are 7 weeks of age. The Nrf2 knockout (Nrf2?/?) mouse strain is used in the assay. After 1 week of acclimation, mice are fed normal chow (NC) (containing 2.2% dextrinized cornstarch, 10% kcal from fat), NC containing 0.3% glucoraphanin (NC-GR) (containing 2.2% extract powder), an HFD (containing 2.2% dextrinized cornstarch, 60% kcal from fat), or an HFD containing 0.3% glucoraphanin (HFD-GR) (containing 2.2% extract powder) for 14 weeks. Both the NC and the HFD containing cornstarch or glucoraphanin are prepared. All mice studied are maintained on a 12-h light/dark cycle at 24-26°C with free access to water and food [1].