It seems that Researchers at the Heart Research Institute (HRI) have discovered how Brussels sprouts and broccoli can help dissolve blood clots and improve the performance of clot-busting drugs. This could aid doctors in treating strokes. The research is being led by Dr. Xuyu Liu. It is for the first time looking at how we fuel our blood circulatory system with these vegetables for inspiration when it comes to coming up with a new treatment for thrombosis.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, starving brain cells of oxygen and important nutrients, resulting in impacted areas of the brain dying. The most common cause of stroke is a blood clot obstructing blood flow.
Dr. Liu has already proven in pre-clinical trials that compounds found in broccoli can double the rate of unblocking arteries by tPA and increase the success rate to 80 percent in laboratory models.