Immunomodulating effect of the consumption of watercress (Nasturtium officinale) on exercise-induced inflammation in humans

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Original languageEnglish
Article number1774
JournalFoods
Volume10
Issue number8
Early online date30 Jul 2021
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2021

Abstract

The vegetable watercress (Nasturtium officinale R.Br.) is, besides being a generally nutritious food, a rich source of glucosinolates. Gluconasturtiin, the predominant glucosinolate in watercress, has been shown to have several health beneficial properties through its bioactive breakdown product phenethyl isothiocyanate. Little is known about the immunoregulatory effects of watercress. Moreover, anti-inflammatory effects have mostly been shown in in vitro or in animal models. Hence, we conducted a proof-of-concept study to investigate the effects of watercress on the human immune system. In a cross-over intervention study, 19 healthy subjects (26.5 ± 4.3 years; 14 males, 5 females) were given a single dose (85 g) of fresh self-grown watercress or a control meal. Two hours later, a 30 min high-intensity workout was conducted to promote exercise-induced inflammation. Blood samples were drawn before, 5 min after, and 3 h after the exercise unit. Inflammatory blood markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, MCP-1, MMP-9) were analyzed in whole blood cultures after ex vivo immune cell stimulation via lipopolysaccharides. A mild pro-inflammatory reaction was observed after watercress consumption indicated by an increase in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, whereas the immune response was more pronounced for both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) after the exercise unit compared to the control meal. During the recovery phase, watercress consumption led to a stronger anti-inflammatory downregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. In conclusion, we propose that watercress causes a stronger pro-inflammatory response and anti-inflammatory counter-regulation during and after exercise. The clinical relevance of these changes should be verified in future studies.

Keywords

    Anti-inflammatory, Cruciferous vegetables, Gluconasturtiin, Glucosinolates, Pro-inflammatory, Watercress

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Sustainable Development Goals

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Immunomodulating effect of the consumption of watercress (Nasturtium officinale) on exercise-induced inflammation in humans. / Schulze, Hendrik; Hornbacher, Johann; Wasserfurth, Paulina et al.
In: Foods, Vol. 10, No. 8, 1774, 08.2021.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Schulze H, Hornbacher J, Wasserfurth P, Reichel T, Günther T, Krings U et al. Immunomodulating effect of the consumption of watercress (Nasturtium officinale) on exercise-induced inflammation in humans. Foods. 2021 Aug;10(8):1774. Epub 2021 Jul 30. doi: 10.3390/foods10081774
Schulze, Hendrik ; Hornbacher, Johann ; Wasserfurth, Paulina et al. / Immunomodulating effect of the consumption of watercress (Nasturtium officinale) on exercise-induced inflammation in humans. In: Foods. 2021 ; Vol. 10, No. 8.
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title = "Immunomodulating effect of the consumption of watercress (Nasturtium officinale) on exercise-induced inflammation in humans",
abstract = "The vegetable watercress (Nasturtium officinale R.Br.) is, besides being a generally nutritious food, a rich source of glucosinolates. Gluconasturtiin, the predominant glucosinolate in watercress, has been shown to have several health beneficial properties through its bioactive breakdown product phenethyl isothiocyanate. Little is known about the immunoregulatory effects of watercress. Moreover, anti-inflammatory effects have mostly been shown in in vitro or in animal models. Hence, we conducted a proof-of-concept study to investigate the effects of watercress on the human immune system. In a cross-over intervention study, 19 healthy subjects (26.5 ± 4.3 years; 14 males, 5 females) were given a single dose (85 g) of fresh self-grown watercress or a control meal. Two hours later, a 30 min high-intensity workout was conducted to promote exercise-induced inflammation. Blood samples were drawn before, 5 min after, and 3 h after the exercise unit. Inflammatory blood markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, MCP-1, MMP-9) were analyzed in whole blood cultures after ex vivo immune cell stimulation via lipopolysaccharides. A mild pro-inflammatory reaction was observed after watercress consumption indicated by an increase in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, whereas the immune response was more pronounced for both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) after the exercise unit compared to the control meal. During the recovery phase, watercress consumption led to a stronger anti-inflammatory downregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. In conclusion, we propose that watercress causes a stronger pro-inflammatory response and anti-inflammatory counter-regulation during and after exercise. The clinical relevance of these changes should be verified in future studies.",
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author = "Hendrik Schulze and Johann Hornbacher and Paulina Wasserfurth and Thomas Reichel and Thorben G{\"u}nther and Ulrich Krings and Karsten Kr{\"u}ger and Andreas Hahn and Jutta Papenbrock and Schuchardt, {Jan P.}",
note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgments: We would like to thank Julia Volker for help in the laboratory. The publication of this article was funded by the Open Access Fund of Leibniz University Hannover.",
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TY - JOUR

T1 - Immunomodulating effect of the consumption of watercress (Nasturtium officinale) on exercise-induced inflammation in humans

AU - Schulze, Hendrik

AU - Hornbacher, Johann

AU - Wasserfurth, Paulina

AU - Reichel, Thomas

AU - Günther, Thorben

AU - Krings, Ulrich

AU - Krüger, Karsten

AU - Hahn, Andreas

AU - Papenbrock, Jutta

AU - Schuchardt, Jan P.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments: We would like to thank Julia Volker for help in the laboratory. The publication of this article was funded by the Open Access Fund of Leibniz University Hannover.

PY - 2021/8

Y1 - 2021/8

N2 - The vegetable watercress (Nasturtium officinale R.Br.) is, besides being a generally nutritious food, a rich source of glucosinolates. Gluconasturtiin, the predominant glucosinolate in watercress, has been shown to have several health beneficial properties through its bioactive breakdown product phenethyl isothiocyanate. Little is known about the immunoregulatory effects of watercress. Moreover, anti-inflammatory effects have mostly been shown in in vitro or in animal models. Hence, we conducted a proof-of-concept study to investigate the effects of watercress on the human immune system. In a cross-over intervention study, 19 healthy subjects (26.5 ± 4.3 years; 14 males, 5 females) were given a single dose (85 g) of fresh self-grown watercress or a control meal. Two hours later, a 30 min high-intensity workout was conducted to promote exercise-induced inflammation. Blood samples were drawn before, 5 min after, and 3 h after the exercise unit. Inflammatory blood markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, MCP-1, MMP-9) were analyzed in whole blood cultures after ex vivo immune cell stimulation via lipopolysaccharides. A mild pro-inflammatory reaction was observed after watercress consumption indicated by an increase in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, whereas the immune response was more pronounced for both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) after the exercise unit compared to the control meal. During the recovery phase, watercress consumption led to a stronger anti-inflammatory downregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. In conclusion, we propose that watercress causes a stronger pro-inflammatory response and anti-inflammatory counter-regulation during and after exercise. The clinical relevance of these changes should be verified in future studies.

AB - The vegetable watercress (Nasturtium officinale R.Br.) is, besides being a generally nutritious food, a rich source of glucosinolates. Gluconasturtiin, the predominant glucosinolate in watercress, has been shown to have several health beneficial properties through its bioactive breakdown product phenethyl isothiocyanate. Little is known about the immunoregulatory effects of watercress. Moreover, anti-inflammatory effects have mostly been shown in in vitro or in animal models. Hence, we conducted a proof-of-concept study to investigate the effects of watercress on the human immune system. In a cross-over intervention study, 19 healthy subjects (26.5 ± 4.3 years; 14 males, 5 females) were given a single dose (85 g) of fresh self-grown watercress or a control meal. Two hours later, a 30 min high-intensity workout was conducted to promote exercise-induced inflammation. Blood samples were drawn before, 5 min after, and 3 h after the exercise unit. Inflammatory blood markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, MCP-1, MMP-9) were analyzed in whole blood cultures after ex vivo immune cell stimulation via lipopolysaccharides. A mild pro-inflammatory reaction was observed after watercress consumption indicated by an increase in IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, whereas the immune response was more pronounced for both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) after the exercise unit compared to the control meal. During the recovery phase, watercress consumption led to a stronger anti-inflammatory downregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α. In conclusion, we propose that watercress causes a stronger pro-inflammatory response and anti-inflammatory counter-regulation during and after exercise. The clinical relevance of these changes should be verified in future studies.

KW - Anti-inflammatory

KW - Cruciferous vegetables

KW - Gluconasturtiin

KW - Glucosinolates

KW - Pro-inflammatory

KW - Watercress

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U2 - 10.3390/foods10081774

DO - 10.3390/foods10081774

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AN - SCOPUS:85112067350

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JO - Foods

JF - Foods

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