Plants and Plant-Derived Compounds Mediate Protection Across Diverse Pathological Conditions by Targeting the PANoptosis Pathways.
Yarmohammadi F, Miraghaee SS, Karimi G
Medicinal Plants
The sulforaphane in your garden broccoli and kale is now showing up in lab studies as a molecular brake on the exact runaway inflammation that drives heart attacks and organ failure — the same chemistry that makes these vegetables smell sharp when cut is part of what makes them biologically potent.
Scientists reviewed dozens of studies showing that compounds found in everyday plants — like broccoli, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and chamomile — can help the body avoid a dangerous type of out-of-control cell death linked to heart disease, kidney damage, and other serious conditions. These plant chemicals seem to work by blocking specific proteins that act like dominoes, triggering a cascade of destruction inside cells. The research suggests that the healing traditions around herbs like licorice and mugwort may have real molecular footing.
Key Findings
Nine specific plant compounds — including sulforaphane (broccoli), lycopene (tomato), hesperidin (citrus), and apigenin (chamomile) — suppressed core PANoptosis proteins like NLRP3, caspase-1, and GSDMD in preclinical disease models.
Five traditional Chinese herbal formulations (including Xiao Chai Hu and Dachaihu decoctions) demonstrated measurable PANoptosis-modulating effects, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α.
Plant compounds activated the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway and boosted enzymes SOD and CAT, providing multi-organ protection spanning cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, hepatic, and neurological disease models.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A review of preclinical studies finds that compounds from common plants — broccoli, citrus, chamomile, and traditional Chinese herbs — can suppress a newly characterized form of runaway inflammatory cell death called PANoptosis, offering broad protective effects against heart disease, organ injury, and cancer.
Abstract Preview
PANoptosis is a complex inflammatory programmed cell death pathway that integrates the key mechanistic features of pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis. It represents a crucial innate immune mech...
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