title: Pilot study: effect of 3,3'-diindolylmethane supplements on urinary hormone metabolites in postmenopausal women with a history of early-stage breast cancer.
abstract: Dietary indoles, present in Brassica plants such as cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, have been shown to provide potential protection against hormone-dependent cancers. 3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM) is under study as one of the main protective indole metabolites. Postmenopausal women aged 50-70 yr from Marin County, California, with a history of early-stage breast cancer, were screened for interest and eligibility in this pilot study on the effect of absorbable DIM (BioResponse-DIM) supplements on urinary hormone metabolites. The treatment group received daily DIM (108 mg DIM/day) supplements for 30 days, and the control group received a placebo capsule daily for 30 days. Urinary metabolite analysis included 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1), 16-alpha hydroxyestrone (16alpha-OHE1), DIM, estrone (El), estradiol(E2), estriol (E3), 6beta-hydroxycortisol (6beta-OHC), and cortisol in the first morning urine sample before intervention and 31 days after intervention. Nineteen women completed the study,for a total of 10 in the treatment group and 9 in the placebo group. DIM-treated subjects, relative to placebo, showed a significant increase in levels of2-OHE1 (P=0. 020), DIM (P =0. 045), and cortisol (P = 0.039), and a nonsignificant increase of 47% in the 2-OHE1/16alpha-OHE1 ratio from 1.46 to 2.14 (P=0.059). In this pilot study, DIM increased the 2-hydroxylation of estrogen urinary metabolites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-3200, USA.
authors.forename: Kathie M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dalessandri
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Firestone
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Fitch
authors.forename: H Leon
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Bradlow
authors.forename: Leonard F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Bjeldanes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004958:Estradiol / Q000652:urine; D004964:Estriol / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000652:urine; D006894:Hydroxyestrones / Q000652:urine; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D006894:Hydroxyestrones; D007211:Indoles; D004958:Estradiol; D004964:Estriol; C016392:3,3'-diindolylmethane; C024980:2-hydroxyestrone; D006854:Hydrocortisone