Broccoli Extracts Protect Against Reactive Oxygen Species in HepG2 Cells

Broccoli can positively impact human health in a number of ways including acting as a vehicle for the delivery of promising antioxidants. Studies in non-cellular assay systems indicate that broccoli extracts have a high capacity for scavenging free radicals or interrupting free radical reactions. Here we report the effect of broccoli extracts on oxidative stress in HepG2 cells using the dichlorofluorescein-diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. Our results confirm the association between broccoli extracts and enhanced antioxidant activity while providing additional evidence for protection against reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the cellular level. In HepG2 cells, the level of protection against AAPH-induced ROS differed among broccoli genotypes tested. We found that the HepG2 cell assay provided more information about the antioxidative lipid soluble fraction than the commonly reported ORAC assay.