A compound from vegetables like broccoli affects glioblastoma cells in the lab
Original title: Phenethyl isothiocyanate mediates autophagy via the AMPK/mTOR signal pathway in human glioblastoma multiforme cells.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done on cells in a lab, not in people. It is a very early step.
This was only done on cells in a dish, not in people.
The short version
Scientists tested a natural compound on brain tumor cells in a dish, and it changed how the cells clean themselves out.
What was studied. Researchers tested phenethyl isothiocyanate, called PEITC, on human glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary cells grown in the lab. PEITC comes from cruciferous vegetables, the family that includes broccoli and cabbage.
What they found. PEITC changed the shape of the tumor cells. It also switched on a cell process called autophagy, which is how a cell breaks down and recycles its own parts. When the researchers blocked that process with a drug called chloroquine, PEITC did more damage to the tumor cells.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This points to a possible way to attack glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary cells, and it hints that blocking the cells' self recycling might make such a treatment work harder. For now it only tells scientists where to look next.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a cure, and it is not a treatment you can ask for. The work was done on cells in a dish, not in people. No one was treated in this study, so we do not know if it is safe or if it helps a person live longer. It also does not mean eating broccoli or taking a supplement will treat a brain tumor.
Source: PubMed, July 26, 2026 · Read the original
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