Research Progress on Sulforaphane in the Prevention and Treatment of Nervous System Diseases

Sulforaphane is a natural product with excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which is ubiquitous in plants of the Brassicaceae family. The pathogenesis of nervous system diseases is complex, but many nervous system diseases are related to inflammation and oxidative stress. Sulforaphane has great potential in the prevention and treatment of nervous system diseases. In this article, the sources, biosynthetic pathways, metabolism and mechankism of neuroprotective effect of sulforaphane is reviewed. The recent achievements in the application of sulforaphane in the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, autism spectrum disorder and stroke are summarized. Moreover, the limitations of current studies are discussed and future research directions are proposed.