Grant: Collaborative Health Research Projects

There is a growing body of literature indicating that phase dietary 2 protein inducing phytochemicals (P2PIs) ameliorate chronic diseases that have an underlying oxidative stress component. The quintessential example of a dietary P2PI is the isothiocyanate sulforaphane, which is found in broccoli and other cruciferous plants. However, only a limited number of dietary phase 2 protein inducers have been identified to date. The current proposal builds on an earlier pilot project whereby a number of plant extracts were screened for the ability to induce phase 2 protein gene expression, leading to the identification of both known and novel phytochemicals that function as P2PIs. Within the scope of this proposal, we intend to: 1) Produce extracts from the plants in the Canadian flora with a history of use as foods or medicines and screen them for phase 2 protein inducing activity, 2) Develop new cell-based screening assays to test for phase 1 and phase 2 protein inducing potential, 3) Isolate and identify the phytochemicals responsible for phase 2 protein inducing activities in these exstracts, and 4) Test select phase 2 inducing compounds in an animal model of chronic disease. These activities will employ novel techniques developed to rapidly screening plant extracts and delineate possible phase protein inducing phytochemcials. The most promising novel candidates will then be tested in relevant animal models of chronic disease for efficacy in ameliorating adverse events associated with hypertension, global tissue inflammation and type 2 diabetes. Achieving these objectives will improve understanding of the content of P2PIs in plants that are consumed as foods or herbal products, and potentially lead to the identification of novel bioactive phytochemicals for use in preventive medicines (e.g., as nutraceuticals and functional foods). In addition, new knowledge gained from this work may aid in the identification of new crops, validation of existing natural health products, provide for improved dietary recommendations and promote the development of the nutraceutical industry.