Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are naturally occurring components of vegetables that have demonstrated biological activity against carcinogenesis as well as chemopreventive properties [
1]. It has been suggested that in conjunction with chemotherapy, ITCs may enhance drug sensitivity [
2]. Sulforaphane (SFN), a potent cancer preventive agent, is a dietary isothiocyanate found as a precursor glucosinolate in cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli [
3]. Interest in this agent has grown in recent years due to its putative beneficial pharmacological effects as an antioxidant [
4], anti-inflammatory [
5] and antitumor agent [
6]. SFN is also a potent scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide anions and hydroxyl radicals [
7]. Many studies have indicated an inverse correlation between the consumption of cruciferous vegetables and a decrease in the incidence of various tumors, including those of the prostate [
8], cervical [
9], colorectal [
10], and lung [
11]. In addition to inhibiting cell proliferation and increasing apoptosis [
10], other mechanisms have also been proposed to explain the anti-carcinogenic effects of SFN. These include anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities, the induction of phase 2 detoxification enzymes, the inhibition of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) [
12], and the effect on protein kinases [
13].
This study investigated the influence of SFN on ovarian cancer cell lines (PA-1) with regard to the anti-proliferation of PA-1 cells and induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. These results may provide support for the chemoprevention of ovarian cancer.