Studies on Simple Goiter Produced by Cabbage and Other Vegetables.

Abstract

Chesney, Webster and Clawson 1 , 2 , 3 have shown that when fresh cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is fed to rabbits as the principal food, clinically detectable thyroid hyperplasia occurs in 2 or 3 months, and with continued cabbage feeding very large goiters (up to 45 gm.) have been produced. They further showed that the development of goiter was associated with a lowering of the metabolism and that the administration of small amounts of iodine readily raises the metabolic rate in goiterous rabbits and prevents thyroid hyperplasia. In these respects, as well as histologically, the thyroid hyperplasia produced by feeding cabbage is identical with that of simple or endemic goiter. We have confirmed these findings.

Boiling or steaming cabbage for 30 minutes increases its capacity to produce thyroid hyperplasia. Steaming for 15 minutes is less effective and steaming for 60 minutes renders it neither more nor less potent than for 30 minutes. Steamed cabbage from which 60% of the weight is removed as press juice is practically as effective as whole cabbage when fed in calori-equivalent amounts. Hashed fresh cabbage has very little capacity to produce thyroid hyperplasia, while hashed steamed cabbage fully retains this quality. In our hands the press juice of 500 gm. of steamed cabbage (300 cc.) when fed daily to rabbits whether whole or concentrated in vacuo was only slightly effective.

Rabbits previously iodized and fed with fresh cabbage up to 75 calories per kg. per day (3 gm. of cabbage are equivalent to approximately 1 calorie) developed palpable thyroids in about 30 days, while with the same amount of steamed cabbage only 10 to 15 days were necessary. The lowering of the metabolic rate to the thyroidectomy level (from about 2.4 to 1.75 calories per kg. per hour) would also occur in about half the time required if fresh cabbage were used.