5 replies to this topic

[1newyorkguy]

DIM has been linked to defeating HPV. Is it safe for a male to take? Would it lower testosterone?

[rwac]

I don't know about DIM, but people have used BHT to keep their HPV in check.

[zm3thod]

I haven't heard of it lowering testosterone, just changing the form of estrogen. I take 1/day

[VespeneGas]

J Biol Chem. 2003 Jun 6;278(23):21136-45. Epub 2003 Mar 27.


Plant-derived 3,3'-Diindolylmethane is a strong androgen antagonist in human prostate cancer cells.

Le HT, Schaldach CM, Firestone GL, Bjeldanes LF.

Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, The University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-3104, USA. lfb@nature.berkeley.edu

3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a major digestive product of indole-3-carbinol, a potential anticancer component of cruciferous vegetables. Our results indicate that DIM exhibits potent antiproliferative and antiandrogenic properties in androgen-dependent human prostate cancer cells. DIM suppresses cell proliferation of LNCaP cells and inhibits dihydrotestosterone (DHT) stimulation of DNA synthesis. These activities were not produced in androgen-independent PC-3 cells. Moreover, DIM inhibited endogenous PSA transcription and reduced intracellular and secreted PSA protein levels induced by DHT in LNCaP cells. Also, DIM inhibited, in a concentration-dependent manner, the DHT-induced expression of a prostate-specific antigen promoter-regulated reporter gene construct in transiently transfected LNCaP cells. Similar effects of DIM were observed in PC-3 cells only when these cells were co-transfected with a wild-type androgen receptor expression plasmid. Using fluorescence imaging with green fluorescent protein androgen receptor and Western blot analysis, we demonstrated that DIM inhibited androgen-induced androgen receptor (AR) translocation into the nucleus. Results of receptor binding assays indicated further that DIM is a strong competitive inhibitor of DHT binding to the AR. Results of structural modeling studies showed that DIM is remarkably similar in conformational geometry and surface charge distribution to an established synthetic AR antagonist, although the atomic compositions of the two substances are quite different. Taken together with our published reports of the estrogen agonist activities of DIM, the present results establish DIM as a unique bifunctional hormone disrupter. To our knowledge, DIM is the first example of a pure androgen receptor antagonist from plants.

PMID: 12665522 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Down-regulation of androgen receptor by 3,3′-diindolylmethane contributes to inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in both hormone-sensitive LNCaP and insensitive C4-2B prostate cancer cells: Bhuiyan MM, Li Y, Banerjee S, Ahmed F, Wang Z, Ali S, Sarkar FH, Departments of Pathology and Internal Medicine, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI

Jennifer J. Westendorf, Ph.D., Luke Hoeppner, B.S.Despite the initial efficacy of androgen deprivation therapy, most patients with advanced prostate cancer eventually progress to hormone-refractory prostate cancer, for which there is no curative therapy. Previous studies from our laboratory and others have shown the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) in prostate cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanism of action of DIM has not been investigated in androgen receptor (AR)-positive hormone-responsive and -nonresponsive prostate cancer cells. Therefore, we investigated the effects of B-DIM, a formulated DIM with greater bioavailability, on AR, Akt, and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling in hormone-sensitive LNCaP (AR+) and hormone-insensitive C4-2B (AR+) prostate cancer cells. We found that B-DIM significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in both cell lines. By Akt gene transfection, reverse transcription-PCR, Western blot analysis, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we found a potential crosstalk between Akt, NF-κB, and AR. Importantly, B-DIM significantly inhibited Akt activation, NF-κB DNA binding activity, AR phosphorylation, and the expressions of AR and prostate-specific antigen, suggesting that B-DIM could interrupt the crosstalk. Confocal studies revealed that B-DIM inhibited AR nuclear translocation, leading to the down-regulation of AR target genes. Moreover, B-DIM significantly inhibited C4-2B cell growth in a severe combined immunodeficiency-human model of experimental prostate cancer bone metastasis. These results suggest that B-DIM-induced cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction are partly mediated through the down-regulation of AR, Akt, and NF-κB signaling. These observations provide a rationale for devising novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of hormone-sensitive, but more importantly, hormone-refractory prostate cancer by using B-DIM alone or in combination with other therapeutics.




I know this is in prostate tissue, but that's just because that's the only place they looked (since the studies concern prostate cancer risk). There's no reason to believe that DIM isn't antiandrogenic in all tissues, especially since it has complex and potentially adverse effects on estrogen metabolism. It also lowers E2, which is not only necessary for libido but also for a strong immune system, cardiovascular system, brain, etc.





Please just don't use it. It took away my health and quality of life for months after I stopped using it. Just eat cruciferous vegetables, rather than poorly studied compounds with a high risk:benefit ratio.

[zm3thod]

Plant-derived 3,3'-Diindolylmethane is a strong androgen antagonist in human prostate cancer cells....

Down-regulation of androgen receptor by 3,3′-diindolylmethane contributes to inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in both hormone-sensitive LNCaP and insensitive C4-2B prostate cancer cells: Bhuiyan MM, Li Y, Banerjee S, Ahmed F, Wang Z, Ali S, Sarkar FH, Departments of Pathology and Internal Medicine, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI

Would be interesting if someone could fully digest those two studies. They both seem pretty dense

This first one is especially interesting in that a small amount of cruciferous vegetables would seem to induce the results seen, let along the 100mg enhanced supplements
http://www.jbc.org/c...8/23/21136.full
"It is interesting to note that the antiproliferative and antiandrogenic activity of DIM in LNCaP cells were observed at physiologically relevant concentrations. A man of average weight who consumes 200 g of broccoli daily will obtain ∼12 mg of DIM. With maximum absorption of DIM, the blood concentration of DIM would be as high as ∼10 μm. Therefore, in vivo concentrations of DIM from dietary Brassica vegetables represent the effective levels of DIM in vitro. In conclusion, our study establishes DIM as a pure androgen antagonist that blocks expression of androgen-responsive genes and inhibits AR nuclear translocation and nuclear foci formation. The discovery of DIM as the first pure androgen receptor antagonist from plants establishes this substance as a new class of hormonally active agents with potential both as environmental androgen disrupters and as prostate tumor preventive and therapeutic agents."


The second is talking about B-DIM, which is a "microencapsulated" product with 75 or 150mg of DIM along with vitamin E and soy phosphatidyl choline and supposedly " 50% higher bioavailability in vivo " .
"Taken together, these results along with our findings on the inhibition of cell growth in vitro, antitumor activity in vivo, and the induction of apoptosis by B-DIM in both LNCaP and C4-2B prostate cancer cells, clearly suggest that B-DIM could be a promising nontoxic agent for the treatment of prostate cancer, especially HRPC, for which there is no curative therapy. However, further in-depth studies, including further animal experiments and clinical trials, are needed to fully appreciate the value of B-DIM in the fight against prostate cancer."

http://cancerres.aac...ull/66/20/10064




Here is the Source Natural's company line
"....DIM has been show to lead to the preferential formation of estrogen metabolites....". The 100mg DIM product contains similar ingredients (50 IU Vitamin E, 25 mgPhosphatidyl Choline) to B-DIM (which has a proprietary blend), with added 3mg Bioperine

Edited by zm3thod, 23 February 2010 - 04:29 AM.

[Lufega]

Eating papaya at least once a week reduces the severity HPV infections.

http://jid.oxfordjou...8.full.pdf html