A natural chemical from cabbage slowed glioma growth in mice
Original title: Brassinin Inhibits Cell Survival and Autophagy via Modulation of ROS Production and the AMPKα-beclin1 Signaling Pathway in Gliomas.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done in animals, not people. Most findings at this stage never become treatments.
This was only done in lab cells and in mice, not in people.
The short version
This was an early lab and mouse study, not a treatment people can get.
What was studied. Researchers tested brassinin, a natural chemical found in Chinese cabbage. They used it on glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary cells in the lab and on mice with tumors, including tumors in the brain.
What they found. Brassinin slowed glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary cells from growing and made more of them die. It raised harmful oxygen molecules inside the cells and blocked a cell survival process called autophagy. Mice with tumors lived longer after they were given brassinin.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Scientists found a plant chemical they think is worth more study for glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary. This is a starting point, not a treatment. It does not change care for anyone today.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean brassinin helps people with brain tumors. It was only tested on cells in a lab and in mice. It has not been tried in people at all. Many things that work in mice do not work in people. It is not a cure, and eating cabbage is not a treatment.
Source: PubMed, August 31, 2026 · Read the original
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