Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA; email:
Annu Rev Food Sci Technol. 2023 Mar 27;14:347-366. doi: 10.1146/annurev-food-060721-025531.
Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is a bioactive phytochemical abundant in cruciferous vegetables. One of its main in vivo metabolites is 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), formed by the condensation of two molecules of I3C. Both I3C and DIM alter multiple signaling pathways and related molecules controlling diverse cellular events, including oxidation, inflammation, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and immunity. There is a growing body of evidence from both in vitro and in vivo models that these compounds possess strong potential to prevent several forms of chronic disease such as inflammation, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, neurodegenerative diseases, and osteoporosis. This article reviews current knowledge of the occurrence of I3C in nature and foods, along with the beneficial effects of I3C and DIM concerning prevention and treatment of human chronic diseases, focusing on preclinical studies and their mechanisms of action at cellular and molecular levels.
吲哚-3-甲醇（I3C）是十字花科蔬菜中丰富的生物活性植物化学物质。它的主要体内代谢物之一是 3,3′-二吲哚甲烷（DIM），由两个 I3C 分子缩合而成。I3C 和 DIM 均可改变控制多种细胞事件的多个信号通路和相关分子，包括氧化、炎症、增殖、分化、凋亡、血管生成和免疫。越来越多的体外和体内模型证据表明，这些化合物具有预防多种慢性疾病的强大潜力，如炎症、肥胖、糖尿病、心血管疾病、癌症、高血压、神经退行性疾病和骨质疏松症。本文综述了 I3C 在自然界和食物中的存在情况，以及 I3C 和 DIM 在预防和治疗人类慢性疾病方面的有益作用，重点介绍了细胞和分子水平的临床前研究及其作用机制。
