Broccoli-related compound benefits Macular Degeneration

A compound found in broccoli known as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is currently being researched for it's potential in preventing cancer and researchers are also hopeful it can be used to treat AMD. I3C activates the AhR protein, which clears environmental toxins from cells. Researchers noted that mice that were deficient in AhR developed an eye condition very similar to AMD in humans. Armed with this knowledge, researchers wanted to boost I3C's activation ability because it is a weak activator of AhR. The research team came up with 2AI, which is ten times more powerful than I3C. This boosted protein was able to protect human retinal cells in culture from antioxidant stress. Researchers found that it also protected retinal cells in mice from light-mediated damage. Both of these revelations have encouraged the research team and they are hopeful that further research will yield promising therapies for AMD.*