Description
Indole-3-carbinol is a glucosinolate originally found in cruciferous vegetables that exhibits anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-fibrotic, neuroprotective, anti-angiogenic, anti-metastatic, and anticancer chemotherapeutic activities. Indole-3-carbinol inhibits adipogenesis in vitro and in vivo and also suppresses adipocyte differentiation and expression of CEBP, PPARγ, and triglycerides. Indole-3-carbinol also inhibits the formation of amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrils in cellular models of Alzheimer’s disease. In cellular and animal models of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, indole-3-carbinol inhibits cell proliferation, decreases tumor growth, induces apoptosis, and decreases PI3K/Akt signaling. In other animal models, this compound induces hepatic stellate cell apoptosis, increases the Bax:Bcl-2 ratio, promotes degradation of the extracellular matrix, and prevents the development of fibrosis. Additionally, indole-3-carbinol inhibits cell migration and invasion and decreases expression of MCP-2 and signaling by ERK in breast cancer cells. In endothelial cells, this compound inhibits tube formation.