Danger of Wasabi

Wasabi benefits and side effects

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Wasabi (Wasabi japonica) is a popular pungent spice in Japanese meals. It is a
member of the cruciferae family and is related to cabbages. Its potential health
benefits on animals such as rats and mice at risk of various cancers have been
noticed since 1991.

In 1991, Tanida N and co-workers from Hyogo College of Medicine, Japan,
noticed the anti-cancer effect of wasabi against gastric carcinogenesis in a study
of male rats. [1] In 2000, Yano T and co-workers from The National Institute of
Health and Nutrition, Japan found the potential benefit of 6-methylthiohexyl
isothiocyanate isolated from wasabi on lung tumors in a study of mice. [2] In 2006,
6-(methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate was again demonstrated to against cancer
cells - murine B16-BL6 melanoma. [8]

6-Methylsulfinylhexyl isothiocyanate was also shown to be a potential inhibitor of
human platelet aggregation in vitro and have anti-inflammatory properties. [3,7]
Morimitsu Y, from Nagoya University, Japan, believed that the isothiocyanate
moiety of this molecule plays an important role for antiplatelet and anticancer
activities. [5]

However, researchers from Bioactive Natural Products and Phytoceuticals and
Michigan State University showed desulfosinigrin from a wasabi powder actually
promoted the growth of human colon and lung cancer cell lines. Not sure if this is
a side effect of wasabi. [11] On the other hand, researchers shows wasabi
contains anti-cancer activities in test-tubes.

More compounds from wasabi show anti-cancer activities in test-tubes.

Researchers from Bioactive Natural Products and Phytoceuticals and Toxicology
Center, Michigan State University isolated a few compounds from wasabi. All
showed inhibitory effects on COX-1 enzyme. They found
linolenoyloleoyl-3-beta-galactosylglycerol inhibited the proliferation of colon
cancer cells (HCT-116) while 1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-beta-galactosylglycerol inhibited
the growth of colon, lung, and stomach cancer cells. [10]

Wasabi also shows anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activities.

Allylisothiocyanate is also an active component in wasabi. It demonstrated
inhibitory effects on the growth of food poisoning bacteria and fungi. It is also
found to have antioxidative and superoxide scavenging potency. [4, 9]

Kiba A from Iwate Biotechnology Research Center, Japan, found a protein from
the leaves of Wasabia japonica L has antimicrobial activity against both fungi and
bacteria. [6]

[1] Tanida N, Kawaura A, Takahashi A, Sawada K, Shimoyama T. Suppressive effect of wasabi
(pungent Japanese spice) on gastric carcinogenesis induced by MNNG in rats. Nutr Cancer.
1991;16(1):53-8. [2] Yano T, Yajima S, Virgona N, Yano Y, Otani S, Kumagai H, Sakurai H,
Kishimoto M, Ichikawa T. The effect of 6-methylthiohexyl isothiocyanate isolated from
Wasabia japonica (wasabi) on 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-buatnone-induced lung
tumorigenesis in mice. Cancer Lett. 2000 Jul 31;155(2):115-20. [3] Morimitsu Y, Hayashi K,
Nakagawa Y, Fujii H, Horio F, Uchida K, Osawa T. Antiplatelet and anticancer isothiocyanates
in Japanese domestic horseradish, Wasabi. Mech Ageing Dev. 2000 Jul 31;116(2-3):125-34.
[4] Kinae N, Masuda H, Shin IS, Furugori M, Shimoi K. Functional properties of wasabi and
horseradish. Biofactors. 2000;13(1-4):265-9. [5] Morimitsu Y, Hayashi K, Nakagawa Y, Horio F,
Uchida K, Osawa T. Antiplatelet and anticancer isothiocyanates in Japanese domestic
horseradish, wasabi. Biofactors. 2000;13(1-4):271-6. [6] Kiba A, Saitoh H, Nishihara M, Omiya
K, Yamamura S. C-terminal domain of a hevein-like protein from Wasabia japonica has potent
antimicrobial activity. Plant Cell Physiol. 2003 Mar;44(3):296-303. [7] Uto T, Fujii M, Hou DX.
Inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced cyclooxygenase-2 transcription by 6-(methylsulfinyl)
hexyl isothiocyanate, a chemopreventive compound from Wasabia japonica (Miq.)
Matsumura, in mouse macrophages. Biochem Pharmacol. 2005 Dec 5;70(12):1772-84. Epub
2005 Oct 27. [8] Fuke Y, Shinoda S, Nagata I, Sawaki S, Murata M, Ryoyama K, Koizumi K,
Saiki I, Nomura T. Preventive effect of oral administration of 6-(methylsulfinyl)hexyl
isothiocyanate derived from wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsum) against pulmonary metastasis
of B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells. Cancer Detect Prev. 2006;30(2):174-9. Epub 2006 Apr 27.
[9] Shin IS, Masuda H, Naohide K. Bactericidal activity of wasabi (Wasabia japonica) against
Helicobacter pylori. Int J Food Microbiol. 2004 Aug 1;94(3):255-61. [10] Weil MJ, Zhang Y,
Nair MG. Tumor cell proliferation and cyclooxygenase inhibitory constituents in horseradish
(Armoracia rusticana) and Wasabi (Wasabia japonica). J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Mar
9;53(5):1440-4. [11] Weil MJ, Zhang Y, Nair MG. Bioactive Natural Products and
Phytoceuticals, Department of Horticulture and National Food Safety and Toxicology Center,
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. Colon cancer proliferating