Dim8.5

DIM Research

37 peer-reviewed studies · Evidence score: 8.5/10

Cruciferous Vegetables, Bioactive Metabolites, and Microbiome for Breast Cancer Prevention

Ho E et al. • Annual review of nutrition (2025)

Integrating cruciferous vegetables and their bioactive compounds in light of an individual's microbiome profile as a complementary approach alongside standard treatments is a promising strategy in breast cancer care.

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with varying subtypes, prognoses, and treatment responses.
Cruciferous vegetables have shown promise in reducing breast cancer risk.
Integrating cruciferous vegetables and their bioactive compounds in light of an individual's microbiome profile as a complementary approach alongside standard treatments is a promising strategy in breast cancer care.

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Indole-3-Carbinol: Occurrence, Health-Beneficial Properties, and Cellular/Molecular Mechanisms

Amarakoon D et al. • Annual review of food science and technology (2023)

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.

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.

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Natural products derived from medicinal plants and microbes might act as a game-changer in breast cancer: a comprehensive review of preclinical and clinical studies

Singla RK et al. • Critical reviews in food science and nutrition (2023)

The future perspectives on the translation of these findings to the personalized treatment of BC are provided and discussed.

Evidence from clinical trials suggests that such products had major potential in enhancing the effectiveness of conventional antitumor agents and decreasing their side effects.
We here provide a comprehensive review of the therapeutic effects and mechanistic underpinnings of medicinal plants and microbial metabolites in BC management.
The future perspectives on the translation of these findings to the personalized treatment of BC are provided and discussed.

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Indole-3-carbinol and its main derivative 3,3'-diindolylmethane: Regulatory roles and therapeutic potential in liver diseases

Tian C et al. • Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie (2024)

Mechanistically, I3C and DIM modulate various pathophysiological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and lipogenesis.

Mechanistically, I3C and DIM modulate various pathophysiological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and lipogenesis.
This review aims to enhance researchers' understanding of the regulatory roles of I3C and DIM in these liver diseases and explore the potential of plant-derived substances in liver disease treatment.

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[Role of the glucosinolates in cancer epigenetics]

Anchimowicz J et al. • Postepy biochemii (2023)

DNA methylation, histone acetylation and microRNAs expression in cancer treatment.

The favourable effect on health exert glucosinolates (GSLs), a group of secondary plant metabolites found in vegetables of the Brassicaceae family, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kohlrabi.
Hydrolysis of GSLs results in the formation of compounds, like sulforaphane (SFN), phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) and 3,3′-Diindolylmethane (DIM), which are known for versatile anti-cancer activity.
This review highlights advances on the role of the chosen GSLs on selected epigenetic mechanisms, i.e.

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Phytochemicals as regulators of Th17/Treg balance in inflammatory bowel diseases

Chang Y et al. • Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie (2021)

Recently, a growing body of studies has indicated that phytochemicals derived from natural products are potent regulators of Th17/Treg, and exert preferable protective benefits against colonic infl...

Recently, a growing body of studies has indicated that phytochemicals derived from natural products are potent regulators of Th17/Treg, and exert preferable protective benefits against colonic inflammation.

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Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of 3,3'-Diindolylmethane in Gastrointestinal Cancer

Kim SM • International journal of molecular sciences (2016)

Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of the preventive and therapeutic properties of DIM in addition to its different perspective on the safety of DIM in clinical applications for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers.

DIM acts upon several cellular and molecular processes in gastrointestinal cancer cells, including apoptosis, autophagy, invasion, cell cycle regulation, metastasis, angiogenesis, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.
In addition, DIM increases the efficacy of other drugs or therapeutic chemicals when used in combinatorial treatment for gastrointestinal cancer.
The studies to date offer strong evidence to support the use of DIM as an anticancer and therapeutic agent for gastrointestinal cancer.

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Role of BioResponse 3,3'-Diindolylmethane in the Treatment of Human Prostate Cancer: Clinical Experience

Li Y et al. • Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre (2016)

This systematic-review examined the effects of DIM.

BR-DIM administered in clinical trials was well tolerated, and 93% of patients had detectable prostatic DIM levels.
The inhibitory effects of BR-DIM on AR and AR target gene such as prostate-specific antigen were also observed in the clinical trial.
Our preclinical and clinical studies provide the scientific basis for a 'proof-of-concept' clinical trial in CRPC patients treated with enzalutamide in combination with BR-DIM.

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From TCDD-mediated toxicity to searches of physiologic AHR functions

Bock KW • Biochemical pharmacology (2018)

Extrapolation from animals to humans is difficult due to marked species differences and dependence of AHR function on the cellular context.

Extrapolation from animals to humans is difficult due to marked species differences and dependence of AHR function on the cellular context.
Nevertheless, therapeutic possibilities of AHR agonists and antagonists are in development.
The AHR remains challenging and fascinating.

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Food as Pharma? The Case of Glucosinolates

Capuano E et al. • Current pharmaceutical design (2017)

It appears that certain BPs may protect against and may even represent a therapeutic strategy against several forms of cancer.

It appears that certain BPs may protect against and may even represent a therapeutic strategy against several forms of cancer.
Whether this latter effect can be achieved through diet or supplements should be investigated more thoroughly.
Further research warranted to confirm findings

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From dioxin toxicity to putative physiologic functions of the human Ah receptor in homeostasis of stem/progenitor cells

Bock KW • Biochemical pharmacology (2017)

Comparison of AHR functions with those of PXR and its target enzyme CYP3A4 may be helpful to emphasize AHR functions in specialized cells: PXR is known to be mainly involved in regulation of system...

Comparison of AHR functions with those of PXR and its target enzyme CYP3A4 may be helpful to emphasize AHR functions in specialized cells: PXR is known to be mainly involved in regulation of systemic metabolism of endo- and xenobiotics.
However, AHR may be mostly controlling local homeostasis of signals in specialized cells such as stem/progenitor cells.
Accumulating evidence suggests that knowledge about physiologic AHR functions may stimulate drug development.

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Indole-3-Carbinol and Its Role in Chronic Diseases

Licznerska B et al. • Advances in experimental medicine and biology (2016)

This chapter summarizes the current experimental data on the I3C and DIM activity and the results of clinical studies indicating their role in prevention of chronic diseases.

Initially, these compounds were classified as blocking agents that increase drug-metabolizing enzyme activity.
Now it is widely accepted that I3C and DIM affect multiple signaling pathways and target molecules controlling cell division, apoptosis, or angiogenesis deregulated in cancer cells.
Although most of the current data support the role of I3C and DIM in prevention of hormone-dependent cancers, it seems that their application in prevention of the other cancer as well as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes reduction is also possible.

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Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) and its Major Derivatives: Their Pharmacokinetics and Important Roles in Hepatic Protection

Wang SQ et al. • Current drug metabolism (2016)

Indoles, especially I3C and DIM as phytochemicals, exert anti-fibrosis, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, immunomodulatory, detoxification and anti-inflammation effects on hepatic protection through pleiotropic mechanism.

Indoles, especially I3C and DIM as phytochemicals, exert anti-fibrosis, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, immunomodulatory, detoxification and anti-inflammation effects on hepatic protection through pleiotropic mechanism.
Further research warranted to confirm findings

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Chemopreventive properties of 3,3'-diindolylmethane in breast cancer: evidence from experimental and human studies

Thomson CA et al. • Nutrition reviews (2016)

For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Importantly, this review also focuses on current evidence from human observational and intervention trials that have contributed to a greater understanding of exposure estimates that will inform recommendations for DIM intake.© The Author(s) 2016.
For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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Recent progress on nutraceutical research in prostate cancer

Li Y et al. • Cancer metastasis reviews (2014)

Such strategy could become a promising newer approach for the treatment of metastatic PCa with better treatment outcome by improving overall survival.

Therefore, nutraceutical treatment in combination with conventional therapeutics could achieve better treatment outcome in prostate cancer therapy.
Interestingly, some nutraceuticals could regulate the function of cancer stem cell (CSC)-related miRNAs and associated molecules, leading to the inhibition of prostatic CSCs which are responsible for drug resistance, tumor progression, and recurrence of PCa.
Such strategy could become a promising newer approach for the treatment of metastatic PCa with better treatment outcome by improving overall survival.

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Antioxidant function of isoflavone and 3,3'-diindolylmethane: are they important for cancer prevention and therapy?

Li Y et al. • Antioxidants & redox signaling (2013)

However, more clinical trials are needed to evaluate the effects of isoflavone and DIM for the prevention of cancer development and also for the treatment of cancer either alone or in combination with conventional cancer therapeutics.

Systematic review examining DIM efficacy
Further research warranted to confirm findings

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DIMming ovarian cancer growth

Kandala PK et al. • Current drug targets (2012)

Together, our pre-clinical studies demonstrate that DIM has activity against ovarian cancer and hence should be further investigated in clinical setting to exploit its therapeutic potential.

In the present review article, we describe the anti-cancer effects of 3, 3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), a compound present in cruciferous vegetables, against ovarian cancer.
DIM targets multiple aspects of cancer such as cellcycle regulation and survival, including EGFR-JAK2-STAT3 signaling, checkpoint activation, caspase activation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy and anoikis.
This broad spectrum of anti-cancer activities in conjunction with low systemic toxicity accentuates the translational value of DIM in cancer therapy.

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Cellular signaling perturbation by natural products

Sarkar FH et al. • Cellular signalling (2009)

Therefore, non-toxic "natural agents" harvested from the bounties of nature could be useful either alone or in combination with conventional therapeutics for the prevention of tumor progression and/or treatment of human malignancies.

This is also consistent with the epidemiological studies showing that the consumption of fruits, soybean and vegetables is associated with reduced risk of several types of cancers.
By regulating multiple important cellular signaling pathways including NF-kappaB, Akt, MAPK, Wnt, Notch, p53, AR, ER, etc, these natural products are known to activate cell death signals and induce apoptosis in pre-cancerous or cancer cells without affecting normal cells.
Therefore, non-toxic "natural agents" harvested from the bounties of nature could be useful either alone or in combination with conventional therapeutics for the prevention of tumor progression and/or treatment of human malignancies.

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Molecular targets and anticancer potential of indole-3-carbinol and its derivatives

Aggarwal BB et al. • Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) (2005)

Initial clinical trials in women have shown that I3C is a promising agent against breast and cervical cancers.

In vivo, I3C was found to be a potent chemopreventive agent for hormonal-dependent cancers such as breast and cervical cancer.
These effects are mediated through its ability to induce apoptosis, inhibit DNA-carcinogen adduct formation, and suppress free-radical production, stimulate 2-hydroxylation of estradiol, inhibit invasion and angiogenesis.
Numerous studies have indicated that I3C also has a strong hepatoprotective activity against various carcinogens.

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Chemopreventive properties of indole-3-carbinol, diindolylmethane and other constituents of cardamom against carcinogenesis

Acharya A et al. • Recent patents on food, nutrition & agriculture (2010)

This review is focused on the patents generated on the effects of I3C, DIM and selected phytochemicals of cardamom on carcinogenesis.

Likewise, DIM and its derivatives are patented for treatment and prevention of leiomyomas, HPV infection, respiratory syncytial virus, angiogenesis, atherosclerosis and anti-proliferative actions.
On the other hand, phytochemicals in cardamom have not been explored in great details but limonene and cineole demonstrate promising effects against carcinogenesis.
Thus studies with selected phytochemicals of cardamom and bioavailability research might lead to many patent applications.

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