I3C May Prolong Life of Lupus Patients

I3C May Prolong Life of Lupus Patients

MANHASSET, N.Y.--I3C (Indole-3-carbinol, found in vegetables in themustard--Cruciferae or Brassicaceae--family) prolonged thelifespan of female F1 mice infected with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal ofNutrition (133, 11:3610-3, 2003) (www.nutrition.org).SLE is a chronic inflammatory condition caused by autoimmune disease and cancause disease of the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, joints and the nervous system.

The mice were fed a diet with or without 0.2 g/kg of I3C, starting soon afterweaning or at five months of age. According to the study, 80 percent of mice fedthe I3C-supplemented diet soon after weaning were alive at 12 months of agecompared to only 10 percent of the control mice; 100 percent of mice fedI3C-supplemented diets after 5 months of age were alive at 12 months of agecompared to only 30 percent of the control mice. At several points in the study,anti-double-stranded DNA levels were significantly lower in the I3C-fed mice;however, antibodies developed in all mice. Researchers also added that renaldisease was also more severe in control mice, and concluded dietary I3C has aprofound effect on experimental SLE.