Evaluation of the bioactive compounds of fresh as well as processed broccoli and cauliflower as hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic agents

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different cooking methods (boiling, blanching and steaming ) on the total phenols, antioxidant activity, vitamin C and sulforaphane content of broccoli and cauliflower. Cooking by steaming had the least reductive effect on the bioactive compounds followed by blanching and boiling methods . The effect of pure sulforaphane , fresh and steamed broccoli or cauliflower extracts were evaluated in alloxan induced diabetic rats as hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic agents. Fresh broccoli and steamed broccoli extracts were used in the concentration of 0.175 and 0.525 mg / kg / bw of rat / day for G4, G5,G6 and G7 of rats. Moreover, fresh and steamed cauliflower extracts were used in the concentration of 4.05, 8.11 and 24.3 mg/kg/bw of rat/day for G8, G9,G10,G11,G12 and G13 of rats. Pure sulforaphane was uesd in the concentration of 0.3 mg / kg / bw of rat / day as G3 of rats. The lowest value of serum glucose ,serum albumin and Malondialdehyde was with the group G3 of rats those adminstrated pure sulforaphane.However, The highest value of glutathione peroxidase was also noticed in G3 that recorede 68.98 U/ml. Levels of serum Cholesterol, LDL and Triglycerides for the " G11" "group of rats adminstrated 4.05 mg/kg/bw of rat/day steamed cauliflower extract " were significantly low compared with the groups of rats (G4,G5,G8,G9 and G10) those had fresh broccoli or cauliflower extracts . The HDL level in groups G3, G5 and G10 were significantly higher than the G2"diabetic rats"