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This study aimed to explore the association between dietary intake of tomatoes and lycopene with all-cause and cancer mortality among US adults with diabetes. We hypothesized that a higher intake of tomato and lycopene is related to a reduced risk of all-cause and cancer mortality among adults with diabetes. This prospective study was conducted among 9213 US adults with diabetes using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2016. Data on dietary intake of tomatoes and lycopene were obtained from two 24-h dietary recalls. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models determined the associations between tomato/lycopene intake and mortality. A higher intake of tomatoes and lycopene was significantly associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (tomato: Q5 vs. Q1: HR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.54–0.86, p = 0.001, p for trend = 0.001; lycopene: Q5 vs. Q1: HR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.64–0.95, p = 0.013, p for trend = 0.006) after adjusting for all covariates. Compared with the lowest quintile of tomato and lycopene intake, the highest quintile was associated with a lower risk of cancer mortality (tomato: HR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.35–0.96, p = 0.035; lycopene: HR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.40–0.98, p = 0.043). Our study demonstrated that dietary intake of tomatoes and lycopene was significantly associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality in US adults with diabetes. High consumption of tomatoes and lycopene was also related to reduced cancer mortality in US adults with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis article studied the interaction between heat/moisture transfer and lycopene changes during the drying process of tomato slices. The results showed that the free water content decreased gradually, while the bound water initially increased and then decreased, with a high value at the middle stage. The lycopene decreased during drying and was related to the moisture content. The degradation process of lycopene can be divided into two stages by a critical moisture content (MC). In the first stage of M>MC, the lycopene is lost primarily via diffusion, resulting in a gradual decrease in content. In the second stage of M<MC, the loss of lycopene was mainly caused by the decomposition reaction, and the content decreased rapidly. The higher the drying temperatures and the thinner the slice thickness, the higher the MC values, and the earlier the second drying stage. Based on the experimental findings, a drying model coupling heat/moisture transfer and lycopene degradation was developed for tomato drying, which enables the determination of internal moisture, lycopene content, and their distribution, offering a theoretical foundation for optimizing the quality of tomato drying products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of organic fertilizer "cow manure" applications on quantitative and qualitative traits of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) evaluated under field conditions. Treatments consisted of four levels of cow manure (0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha−1) for both the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. The results indicated that cow manure applied at 15 t ha−1 resulted in the highest number of fruits per plant, antioxidant activities, and carbohydrate contents. At the same time, the lowest values were recorded in the control treatment in 2017 and 2018 (respectively). In both years, the highest plant height, number of lateral branches, number of nodes, fruit yield per plant, fruit fresh weight, and total flavonoids were obtained in 10 t ha−1 of cow manure treatment. The lycopene contents were 47 and 60% higher in 5 t ha−1 of cow dung fertilizer than control treatments in both seasons. The minimum β –Carotene was recorded in control, and the maximum was observed in 5 t ha−1 of cow manure fertilizer in both years. The results confirm that cow manure positively affects hot peppers' vegetative and reproductive traits and antioxidant activity under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carotenoids have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, being a potential bioactive compound for gut health. The objective of this systematic review was to investigate the effects of carotenoids on gut microbiota, gut barrier, and inflammation in healthy animals. The systematic search from PubMed, Scopus, and Lilacs databases were performed up to March 2023. The final screening included thirty studies, with different animal models (mice, rats, pigs, chicks, drosophila, fish, and shrimp), and different carotenoid sources (β-carotene, lycopene, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, and fucoxanthin). The results suggested that carotenoids seem to act on gut microbiota by promoting beneficial effects on intestinal bacteria related to both inflammation and SCFA production; increase tight junction proteins expression, important for reducing intestinal permeability; increase the mucins expression, important in protecting against pathogens and toxins; improve morphological parameters important for digestion and absorption of nutrients; and reduce pro-inflammatory and increase anti-inflammatory cytokines. However, different carotenoids had distinct effects on gut health. In addition, there was heterogeneity between studies regarding animal model, duration of intervention, and doses used. This is the first systematic review to address the effects of carotenoids on gut health. Further studies are needed to better understand the effects of carotenoids on gut health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDue to its antioxidant action, the carotenoid lycopene has been demonstrated to have a protective effect in several disease models; however, its effect on the nanoform of titanium oxide (nano-TiO2)-induced neurotoxicity has not yet been determined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how lycopene affects neuronal damage brought on by nano-TiO2 and the mechanisms involved. SH-SY5Y cells were treated with different concentrations of nano-TiO2 for 48 hours, the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) test was used after that to evaluate cell viability. IC50 of nano-TiO2 was determined and the results revealed that IC50 is equal 40 µM/mL, lycopene (10 µM) was applied to SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells an hour before exposure to 40 µM nano-TiO2. Reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 1 beta, nuclear factor kappa B, and apoptotic markers (Bcl2, Bax, and caspase-3), were measured to determine the anti-oxidant effect of lycopene. In SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, pretreatment with 10 µM lycopene significantly reduced the toxicity brought on by exposure to nano-TiO2, according to MTT assay findings and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assessment. In cells exposed to nano-TiO2, lycopene pretreatment significantly boosted the activity of antioxidative enzymes and reduced oxidative stress. Furthermore, when SH-SY5Y cells were subjected to nano-TiO2, lycopene pretreatment stopped neuroinflammation and apoptosis. The findings of this study suggest that lycopene may be an effective neuroprotective against oxidative stress and neuroinflammation and may be used to stop neuronal death or injury in a variety of neurological illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycopene is a promising biological functional component with various biological activities and excellent pharmacological activities. However, its low water solubility and stability lead to low oral bioavailability, which limits its edible and medicinal research. Then, it is necessary to explore effective methods to protect lycopene from destruction and further exploit its potential benefits. The absorption of lycopene in vivo is affected by solubility, stability, isomer type, emulsifying ability, difficulty in forming micelles in vivo, and interaction with food components. Emulsions, pickering emulsions, micelles, liposomes, bigels, beasds, solid dispersions, microcapsules, nanoparticles, electrospinning and other drug delivery systems can be used as good strategies to improve the stability and bioavailability of lycopene. In this paper, the absorption process of lycopene in vivo and the factors affecting its bioavailability were discussed, and the preparation strategies for improving the stability, bioavailability, and health benefits of lycopene were reviewed, to provide some clues and references for the full utilization of lycopene in the field of health. However, there are still various unresolved mysteries regarding the metabolism of lycopene. The safety and in vivo studies of various preparations should be further explored, and the above technologies also face the challenge of industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycopene as a natural antioxidant that have been studied for ultraviolet radiation (UVR) photo protection and is one of the most effective carotenoids to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS). This review aims to summarize the protective effect of tomato and lycopene on skin photo damage and skin photoaging in healthy subjects by reviewing the existing population intervention experiments. A total of five electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were searched from inceptions to January 2021 without any restriction. Out of 19336 publications identified, 21 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were meta-analysis. Overall, interventions supplementing tomato and lycopene were associated with significant reductions in Δa*, MMP-1, ICAM-1 and skin pigmentation; while tomato and lycopene supplementation were associated with significant increase in MED, skin thickness and skin density. Based on the results of this systematic review and meta-analysis, supplementation with tomato and lycopene could reduce skin erythema formation and improve the appearance and pigmentation of the skin, thereby preventing light-induced skin photodamage and skin photoaging. Lycopene-rich products could be used as endogenous sun protection and may be a potential nutraceutical for sun protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal fibrosis is a typical pathological change in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the predominant stage. Activation of macroautophagy/autophagy plays a crucial role in the process of EMT. Lycopene (LYC) is a highly antioxidant carotenoid with pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis and mediation of autophagy. In this study, we demonstrated the specific mechanism of LYC in activating mitophagy and improving renal fibrosis. The enrichment analysis results of GO and KEGG showed that LYC had high enrichment values with autophagy. In this study, we showed that LYC alleviated aristolochic acid I (AAI)-induced intracellular expression of PINK1, TGFB/TGF-β, p-SMAD2, p-SMAD3, and PRKN/Parkin, recruited expression of MAP1LC3/LC3-II and SQSTM1/p62, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and ameliorated renal fibrosis in mice. When we simultaneously intervened NRK52E cells using bafilomycin A1 (Baf-A1), AAI, and LYC, intracellular MAP1LC3-II and SQSTM1 expression was significantly increased. A similar result was seen in renal tissue and cells when treated in vitro and in vivo with CQ, AAI, and LYC, and the inhibitory effect of LYC on the AAI-activated SMAD2-SMAD3 signaling pathway was attenuated. Molecular docking simulation experiments showed that LYC stably bound to the AKT active site. After intervention of cells with AAI and GSK-690693, the expression of PINK1, PRKN, MAP1LC3-II, BECN1, p-SMAD2 and p-SMAD3 was increased, and the expression of SQSTM1 was decreased. However, SC79 inhibited autophagy and reversed the inhibitory effect of LYC on EMT. The results showed that LYC could inhibit the AKT signaling pathway to activate mitophagy and reduce renal fibrosis. Abbreviation: AA: aristolochic acid; ACTA2/α-SMA: actin alpha 2, smooth muscle, aorta; ACTB: actin beta; AKT/protein kinase B: thymoma viral proto-oncogene; BAF-A1: bafilomycin A1; BECN1: beclin 1, autophagy related; CCN2/CTGF: cellular communication network factor 2; CDH1/E-Cadherin: cadherin 1; CKD: chronic kidney disease; COL1: collagen, type I; COL3: collagen, type III; CQ: chloroquine; ECM: extracellular matrix; EMT: epithelial-mesenchymal transition; FN1: fibronectin 1; LYC: lycopene; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3; MMP: mitochondrial membrane potential; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase ; PI3K: phosphoinositide 3-kinase; PINK1: PTEN induced putative kinase 1; PRKN/Parkin: parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase; PPI: protein-protein interaction; SMAD2: SMAD family member 2; SMAD3: SMAD family member 3; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; TGFB/TGFβ: transforming growth factor, beta; VIM: vimentin [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guava (Psidium guajava L.), a member of the family Myrtaceae, is the third richest source of vitamin C after Barbados cherry and aonla. Guava has many medicinal properties associated with every plant part. Coloured guava has additional nutritive value due to its lycopene, anthocyanin, and carotenoid content, which impart colour to its pulp and serve as potential antioxidants. In this review, the various categories of pulp colour in guava, genetics of pulp colour, pigments responsible for various pulp colours, and the biosynthetic pathway of those pigments are presented in detail. The recent advances in guava show that both carotenoids and anthocyanins contribute significantly to its pulp colour. The final pulp colour of the guava depends on the relative proportion of the pigments, i.e. anthocyanins, lycopene, and other carotenoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peeling is a crucial part of the tomato deep processing procedure, and the choice of peeling method directly affects the quality of peeling. As far as the conventional peeling methods are concerned, They are still energy and water-intensive and have adverse effects on the environment. The conventional peeling methods often used in the field of tomato peeling were reviewed in this article, including manual, mechanical, chemical, or steam, and the current novel peeling methods, such as enzymatic peeling, pulse electric field peeling, infrared peeling, high-humidity hot air impingement blanching peeling, ohmic heating-assisted lye peeling, flame-catalytic infrared peeling, ultrasonic-assisted lye peeling and CO2 laser-assisted lye peeling. The mechanism, advantages and disadvantages, and applications, of different peeling methods are also summarized and analyzed. In contrast, the novel peeling method excelled in reducing the use of lye and improving the quality of peeled tomatoes. The retention of nutrients such as lycopene, ascorbic acid, and total phenols is extremely dependent on the high texture retention and low peeling loss of peeled pulp. Therefore, the mechanism of peeling and texture preservation after peeling are current research hotspots in the industry. In addition further research should accelerate the scale-up and commercial applicability of the new technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the effects of enhancing semen quality, brain neurotransmitters, and antioxidant status in rabbits under heat stress with acacia gum, vitamin C, and lycopene as dietary supplements were estimated in vitro and in silico. A total of 40 males from New Zealand White rabbits aged 3 months were equally divided into four groups (n = 10). The first group was a control. The other three groups were the heat stress group (oral acacia gum, 100 mg/kg body weight), the ascorbic acid group (30 mg/kg body weight), and the lycopene group (50 mg/kg body weight). All semen showed physical characteristics in terms of increasing sperm motility, motility index, sperm normality, and live sperm as compared to the control group. On the other hand, sperm abnormalities, and dead sperm significantly (p < 0.001) decreased compared with the control group. It is of interest to show that most semen traits were significantly (p < 0.001) better for acacia gum than vitamin C and lycopene. The expression of neurotransmitters (5-HT, DA, Glu, Asp) was enhanced in all treatments compared to the control. The results of acacia gum were better (p < 0.001) than those obtained with vitamin C and lycopene. The acacia gum treatment had a lower plasma semen MDA and NO (p < 0.001) and higher GSH, TAC, SOD, CAT, L-Car, Na+-K+ ATPase, ATP, and total calcium content (p < 0.001) than in other treatments and controls. These results were confirmed by the prediction of the binding energy, several conventional and carbon H-bonds, hydrophobicity, and SAS through the in silico docking analysis results. It can be concluded that acacia gum, vitamin c, and lycopene are used for enhancing semen quality, brain neurotransmitters, and the antioxidant status of rabbits under heat stress. One of the most significant influences on animal metabolism and productivity is heat stress. Fertility is negatively impacted by heat stress because the level of reactive oxygen species rises. Acacia gum, lycopene, and ascorbic acid were used to improve the quality of sperm, brain neurotransmitters, and antioxidant status of rabbits under heat stress in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Epidemiological research have displayed that dietary intake rich in lycopene, an antioxidant, is negatively correlated with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aimed to investigate whether the intervention with different concentrations of lycopene could attenuate H2O2-induced oxidative stress injury in human vascular endothelial cells (VECs). Methods: The human VECs HMEC-1 and ECV-304 were incubated with a final concentration of 300 µmol/L H2O2, followed by they were incubated with lycopene at doses of 0.5, 1, or 2 µm. Subsequently, cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents, adhesion molecule expression, oxidative stress levels, pro-inflammatory factor production, the apoptosis protein levels, and the silent information regulator-1 (SIRT1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway protein levels were tested by CCK-8 kit, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) kit, immunofluorescence labeling, cell surface enzyme immunoassays (EIA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), as well as Western blot assays, respectively. Results: Under H2O2 stimulation, HMEC-1 and ECV-304 cell proliferation and the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway protein expression were significantly reduced, whereas cytotoxicity, apoptosis, cell adhesion molecule expression, pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress factors production were apparently encouraged, which were partially countered by lycopene intervention in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Lycopene alleviates H2O2-induced oxidative damage in human VECs by reducing intracellular ROS levels, inflammatory factor production, cell adhesiveness, and apoptosis rate under oxidative stress conditions through activation of the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cold atmospheric pressure plasma pretreatment (CP) on the drying kinetics, physicochemical properties, content of chlorophylls (alpha and beta), lycopene, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of hot air impingement dried (HAID) okra pods. CP treatment significantly increased moisture diffusivity from 3.04 x 10−9 to 5.07 x 10−9 m2/s and decreased the HAID time by 38%, i.e., from 235 to 145 min. CP resulted in a reduction of alpha chlorophyll and lycopene contents, whereas the combination of CP and HAID allowed both chlorophylls to be preserved. The HPLC-MS/MS analysis revealed that CP-treated samples showed lower content of phenolic compounds, while combination of CP for 15 s and HAID provided excellent preservation of these compounds. The results show that the combination of the advanced CP treatment and HAID method was useful to obtain optimal results for both drying kinetics and the quality of okra pods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular calcification (VC) is one of the complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Previous studies have confirmed that oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in developing VC and that antioxidants have anti-VC effects. Our study aimed to determine the relationship between the intake of antioxidants from dietary sources and the prevalence of VC, especially in the CKD population. This cross-sectional study analyzed population-based data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; 2013–2014). Participants were noninstitutionalized adults >40 years of age. Diet-derived antioxidants were obtained from the first 24-h dietary recall interviews. The abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) score was measured by a DXA scan. We divided the AAC scores into three groups: no calcification (AAC =0), mild to moderate calcification (0< AAC ≤6), and severe calcification (AAC >6). A total of 2897 participants were included in the main analysis. Our results showed that vitamin B6, α-tocopherol, and lycopene were associated with severe AAC in unadjusted models (odds ratio (OR): 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72–0.91, p = 0.001; OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95–0.99, p = 0.008; OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96–0.99, p = 0.01, respectively). However, only dietary lycopene was associated with severe AAC after adjusting covariates based on clinical and statistical significance. Per 1 mg higher intake of diet-derived lycopene per day, the odds of having severe AAC were 2% lower in the fully adjusted model (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.95–0.999, p = 0.04). Moreover, in subgroup analysis, diet-derived antioxidant was not associated with AAC in patients with CKD. Our findings indicate that a higher intake of diet-derived lycopene was independently associated with lower odds of having severe AAC in humans. Therefore, a high intake of diet-derived lycopene may help prevent severe AAC. Dietary lycopene was inversely associated with vascular calcification (VC) in adults. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a higher chance of having severe VC. Dietary antioxidants were not significantly associated with VC in patients with CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lepisanthes rubiginosa (Roxb.) Leenh (LRL), a wild fruit of Thailand, was characterized for phytochemicals including phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, anthocyanins, organic acids, and sugars. To process it, three drying methods were investigated, namely, freeze drying (FD), hot-air drying (HD), and sun drying (SD), which affected chemical components and antioxidant activities. The predominant phenolic acids and flavonoids were p-hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, quercetin, rutin, and myricetin. Remarkably high amounts of lycopene (158 mg/100g db) and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (2005 mg/100g db) were observed. Flavonoids, carotenoids, and anthocyanin were decreased by all drying methods. Overall, FD was considered to be the most suitable for drying LRL fruit. Fructose conversion to mannitol during drying was explored by FTIR spectroscopy analysis in FD and HD samples. This study has revealed new information about LRL fruits, which could be a potential source of bioactive compounds; an appropriate drying method is suggested for further applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are of great significance in terms of the worldwide consumption of nutritional diets. More than half of the production is sold as fresh products, while the whole fruit is still typically processed into various products, including canned tomatoes, paste, juice, and puree. Tomatoes are rich in phenolic compounds, which are generally present as soluble and bound forms in nature. Large amounts of nutritional and bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals and glycoalkaloids have drawn increasing interest in tomato fruits. However, there appears to be a certain anti-nutritional compound that negatively influences human health. As the role of antioxidants in human nutrition has gained increased interest, the bioavailability of tomato fruits is of great importance to be researched and studied, especially due to their associated health benefits for a number of chronic diseases, including certain types of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, the processing of tomatoes into various end products, including mechanical and heat treatments, is considered to be one of the most significant factors that are potentially affected by those nutritional properties, anti-nutritional compounds and causing changes in the bioavailability of antioxidants. In this review, the nutritional and anti-nutritional compounds, and related health and side effects were discussed. The review also focused on the effects of different food processing techniques on the in vivo and in vitro bioavailability of tomato antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A massive amount of tea waste was generated in tea processing. In order to fully utilize tea waste, tea waste microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was used as stabilizer without any other treatment to fabricate Pickering emulsion. Emulsion was produced by high pressure homogenization and characterized in terms of physicochemical parameters, morphologies and stabilities. High MCC concentration, high pH, low oil-water ratio and low ionic strength were benefited for emulsion stability. Pickering emulsions stabilized by MCC were stable for 42 days with the MCC concentration of 1.00% and 2.00%, oil-water ratio of 1:9, pH of 7.0 and ionic strength of 0 mM. Encapsulation in Pickering emulsion stabilized by MCC enhanced the stability of lycopene against photodegradation and thermal degradation, and high concentration of MCC promoted protection. Lycopene loaded in Pickering emulsion showed high stability and bioaccessibility during simulated digestion in vitro. Tea waste MCC could be used to prepare low fat and low salt Pickering emulsions, and provided perspective on high value-added utilization of tea waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycopene was extracted from freeze-dried papaya using supercritical carbon dioxide and rice bran oil (RBO) as a co-solvent. Central composite design (Response surface methodology) with five levels of each process variable, i.e. pressure (25–50 MPa), temperature (55–85°C), and extraction time (60–210 min), was used for conducting the experiments. The single optimal point for various response variables was realized at 35.4 MPa, 67°C, and 130 min. Under these conditions, a lycopene extraction efficiency of 79.27 ± 1.69% and a γ-oryzanol content of 11,079 ± 146 mg/L were predicted. The combination of extraction temperature and time beyond 80°C and 180 minutes showed a detrimental effect on lycopene. Furthermore, the storage of extract under no-light conditions showed first-order degradation kinetics with half-life values of lycopene of 42, 24, and 9 days at 3, 10, and 25°C, respectively. Results show that the use of RBO as a co-solvent improved the extraction efficiency and prevented lycopene degradation during extraction and storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little interest has been shown in studies related to the effects of cultivating Pleurotus ostreatus on agricultural wastes and their impacts on nutritional value and biological efficiency of the fruiting body. Oil palm fiber, rice husk, sawdust from hardwood, guinea grass, bean pods and rice straw were collected in dried form and used as substrates. Active mycelium of P. ostreatus was used in preparation of spawn, and growth was observed after 30 days following inoculation and fruiting bodies were harvested for analysis. The proximate composition of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, moisture, dry matter and carbohydrate composition; antioxidant properties from flavonoids, phenol, lycopene, beta carotene, and ascorbic acid and composition of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn and Zn varied across substrates. All cultivated P. ostreatus on substrates contained high amounts of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, moisture, dry matter and carbohydrate, flavonoid, phenol, lycopene, beta carotene, and ascorbic acid, and mineral ions such as Na, K, P, N and Ca. Dry weight and biological efficiency were highest in P. ostreatus cultivated on rice straw, followed by bean pods. Pleurotus ostreatus grown on substrates used contained high amounts of nutrients. Rice straw and bean pods may be used to achieve high nutritional composition and antioxidant contents in P. ostreatus mushrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tributyltin is used in industrial applications. This current research aimed to study the effect of Tributyltin on the thyroid gland structure and function of adult male albino rats and the protective effect of Lycopene. Twenty-one male adult albino rats were classified into three groups: Control, treated that received Tributyltin, and protective that received Lycopene with Tributyltin. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected and T4, T3, and (TSH) were measured. Tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were estimated. Thyroid gland specimens were processed for histological and immunohistochemical examination. Then morphometric and statistical analyses were done. The treated group showed affection in thyroid function and histological structure as vacuolated colloid and cytoplasm and dark nuclei. Ultrastructurally, follicular cells showed irregular shrunken nuclei, atrophied apical microvilli, vacuoles, multiple lysosomal granules, mitochondria with destructed cristae, and extensively dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum. There was increase in Caspase-3 immunoexpression and decrease in Beclin-1 immunoexpression. The thyroid structure and biochemical markers improved after Lycopene administration. The thyroid gland damage caused by Tributyltin is ameliorated by Lycopene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a severely debilitating psychiatric disorder that influences more than 15% of the population worldwide. It has been demonstrated that it is associated with a high risk of developing other diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke, epilepsy, and cancer. The current study examines the possibility of chrysin and lycopene having an antidepressant effect in a rat model of depression induced by clonidine, as well as the mechanisms underlying this effect, including the role of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Rats were allotted into seven groups. The rats in group 1 served as a control. Group 2 received lycopene only. Group 3 was provided chrysin only. Group 4 was administered clonidine and served as the model. Group 5 was offered lycopene and clonidine. Group 6 was administered chrysin and clonidine. Group 7 was given FLX and clonidine and represented the standard. The experiment lasted two weeks, during which behavioral, biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical measurements were performed. Lycopene and chrysin were used to correct the concentrations of noradrenaline and serotonin hippocampal tissue concentrations. These findings were also improved by immunohistochemical analysis of GFAP, VEGF, caspase3, and histopathological examinations, in which pretreatment of rats with lycopene and chrysin reversed all clonidine-induced alterations. The current research demonstrates that lycopene and chrysin have an auspicious antidepressant effect against clonidine that provoked behavioral hopelessness in rats. Manipulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis may partially represent the corrective mechanism for the neuroprotective actions against the depressive effect of clonidine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is considered a long-term inflammatory disorder worldwide. Its pathogenesis is associated with reduced antioxidant capacity. Lycopene (LYC) is a powerful antioxidant with strong free radical scavenging property. The present work has done to assess changes of colonic mucosa in induced UC and the possible ameliorative effects of LYC. Forty-five adult male albino rats were randomly divided into four groups: group I (control), group II was given 5 mg/kg/day (LYC) by oral gavage for 3 weeks. Group III (UC) was received single intra-rectal injection of acetic acid. Group IV (LYC+UC) received LYC in same dose and duration as before and acetic acid on 14th day of the experiment. UC group showed loss of surface epithelium with destructed crypts. Congested blood vessels with heavy cellular infiltration were observed. Significant decrease in goblet cell numbers and the mean area percentage of ZO-1 immunoexpression were noticed. Significant increase in the mean area percentage of collagen and the mean area percentage of COX-2 were also noticed. Ultrastructural changes were matched with light microscopic results that showed abnormal destructive columnar and goblet cells. Histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural findings in group IV supported the ameliorative role of LYC against destructive changes induced by UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se) is a trace element that has been investigated as a potential chemopreventive agent for colorectal cancer. Dietary intake of other antioxidant nutrients may modify the effect of Se. We examined the association between intake and serum concentrations of retinol, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and α- and γ-tocopherol and the development of metachronous colorectal adenoma, and if these nutrients modified the effect of Se. We conducted a prospective study of 1874 participants from the Se Trial with data for antioxidant intake, as well as a subcohort of 508 participants with serum biomarker concentrations. Statistically significantly lower odds for the development of metachronous adenoma were observed for those participants in the highest tertile of intake for lutein/zeaxanthin compared to the lowest, with an OR (95% CI) of 0.72 (0.56-0.94). No effect modification for intake of any nutrient was observed. However, circulating concentrations of lycopene exhibited statistically significant effect modification of selenium supplementation (p < 0.06), These findings show that intake and circulating concentrations of antioxidant nutrients were not consistently associated with reduced odds for the development of metachronous lesions, although blood concentrations of lycopene may modify the effect of selenium supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to find a method for the cold extraction of biologically active compounds from tomato pomace, as there are no acceptable, affordable and environmentally friendly extraction methods, and its ability to maintain their vital functions and properties. This method was then evaluated as compared to the traditional thermal extraction methods. The limits of traditional extraction techniques have been overcome by the advent of numerous non-thermal new extraction techniques over the past 20 years. Three methods were used to help extract these compounds, which are blending the frozen (BF), microwave-assisted (MA) and Ohmic heating (OH). The results showed that the BF method was the best extraction method, and the amount of lycopene 487.4 µg/g, β-carotene 115.8 µg/g, total phenolics 1297.4 µg GAE/g, total flavonoids 462.5 µg QE/g and antioxidant activity 89.1%. It was found that the most abundant phenolic compounds in tomato pomace were gallic acid and ellagic nacid, as it contains seven essential amino acids, and that glutamic acid was the dominant acid. Fatty acid estimation showed that linoleic cis and oleic cis were the dominant acids, as they were 585.50 and 164.67 µg/g total fatty acids, respectively. It also contained on unsaturated fatty acids 820.44 µg/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural coloring agents obtained from plants, insects, animals, and minerals are used to color faces, hairs, textiles, and food preparations for centuries. This current review explained the role of traditional natural coloring agents in ancient times. It encompasses the advantages of natural dyes over synthetic dyes, their classification, and medicinal properties. The objective of review is to provide a retrospective study of natural colors for fibers based on their therapeutic potential. For the preparation of this manuscript, all the relevant information was gathered from accessible and inaccessible resources (Web, Books, Thesis, etc.). The information included in the article was downloaded from scientific engines and databases (Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scifinder, Science Direct, Publons, Wiley Online Library, PubMed, Taylor & Francis online and Scopus indexed journals) using different keywords. Natural coloring agents like Carica papaya, curcumin, betalain, quercetin, lycopene, lawsone, crocin, juglone, anthocyanin, and several others are reported to have medicinal values. The present review summarizes the application of natural dyes for coloring fibers and pharmaceutical preparations is beneficial over synthetic dyes based on their additional therapeutic effects. The use of synthetic dyes for fibers can cause toxic effects as it contain heavy metals and causes pollution and damage the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of lycopene on liver damage in Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-challenged broilers were investigated. A total of 240 Arbour Acres Broilers in five groups were fed basal diet (control), basal diet with 100 μg/kg AFB1 (AFB1), AFB1 diet with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg lycopene (AL1, AL2, and AL3), respectively. Broilers in AFB1 group had higher hepatic activities of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and cytochrome P450 2A6 (CYP2A6) than the control group (P <.05). The hepatic concentrations of AFB1-8,9-epoxide-DNA adduct (AFBO-DNA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), protein carbonyl (PC) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were higher in AFB1 group than the control group (P <.05). In lycopene supplementation groups, the activities of CYP1A1 and CYP2A6, and the concentrations of AFBO-DNA, ROS, MDA, and 8-OHdG were lower than AFB1 group (P <.05). The 4-HNE and PC concentrations in AL2 and AL3 groups were lower than AFB1 group (P <.05). Compared to the control group, broilers in the AFB1 group had reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration and decreased activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutamine-cysteine ligase (GCL), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (P <.05). Whereas the GSH concentration in AL2 group, the GST activity in AL1 and AL3 groups, the GCL and CAT activities in AL1 group, and GPx activity in AL1, AL2, and AL3 groups were higher than AFB1 group (P <.05). Therefore, lycopene alleviated AFB1-induced liver damage possibly through inhibiting cytochrome P450 isozymes and improving detoxification and antioxidant systems in broilers. Dietary lycopene alleviated liver damage induced by aflatoxin B1 in broilers. Lycopene inhibited crucial cytochrome 450 isozymes involved in aflatoxin B1 bioactivation. Lycopene increased detoxification and antioxidant ability in aflatoxin B1 exposed broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is a major factor in aging and is implicated in the pathogenesis of tumors, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer Disease (AD). Bioactive constituents of tomato as polyphenols and carotenoids, among which lycopene (LYC) are effective in reducing markers of oxidative stress, and appear to have a protective modulator role on the pathogenetic mechanisms, cognitive symptoms and behavioral manifestations of these diseases in cell cultures and animal models. Epidemiological evidence indicates a consistent association between the intake of tomatoes and reduced cardiovascular and neoplastic risk. LYC deficiency is common in elders and AD patients and it is strongly predictive of mortality and poor cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. Dietary intake of tomatoes seems to be more effective than tomato/LYC supplementation. Limited evidence from human intervention trials suggests that increasing tomato intake, besides improving CV markers, enhances cognitive performances. In this narrative review, we analyze the existing evidence on the beneficial effects of tomatoes on AD-related processes or risk factors. Results support the development of promising nutritional strategies to increase the levels of tomato consumption for the prevention or treatment of AD and other dementias. Extensive well-structured research, however, is mandatory to confirm the neuroprotective effects of tomato/LYC in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, eighteen healthy Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire barrows with initial body weight of 63.89 ± 1.15 kg were randomly allotted to three treatments and fed a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg lycopene, respectively. Data showed that villus height to crypt depth ratio increased with 200 mg/kg lycopene (p < 0.05) in the jejunum. In duodenum, the malondialdehyde content was decreased (p < 0.05) in 100 and 200 mg/kg lycopene groups. Furthermore, in the jejunum, dietary 100 and 200 mg/kg lycopene supplementation increased (p < 0.05) catalase activity. In the duodenum, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), nuclear factor-κB and tumor necrosis factor-α contents were decreased (p < 0.05) in 200 mg/kg lycopene group. In the jejunum, IL-1β content was reduced (p < 0.05) and IL-1β mRNA expression was down-regulated (p = 0.046) in 200 mg/kg lycopene group. Additionally, claudin-1 mRNA and protein levels in 200 mg/kg group were also increased (p < 0.05). These results indicated that dietary lycopene supplementation could maintain intestinal health, which was associated with improving intestinal morphology, enhancing tight junction function, inhibiting inflammatory response, and elevating antioxidant capacity in finishing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the potential protective effect of lycopene (Lyc) against arsenic-induced nephrotoxicity. Sodium arsenite orally administered to mice for 14 days, inducing severe nephrotoxicity, in the form of hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, and elevation in the markers of kidney damage. Induction of severe inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidants/antioxidants imbalance was observed in kidney tissues. DNA damage in the form of 8-hydroxy-2′deoxyguanosine was found. However, pretreatment with Lyc prevented these consequences of arsenic poisoning in the kidneys. We suggest that Lyc exerts its nephroprotective effect via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, making it a promising prophylactic agent against arsenic toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chapters 12 and 13 are not much different from the previous chapter, which discusses the role of plant metabolites on humans over time, however chapter 12 focused more on how to produce new compounds to serve as lead compounds for future drug discovery. In all of the chapters in this book, chapter 7 is an exciting chapter that discusses curcumin compounds combined with nanotechnology, an exciting and currently popular research field in all sectors. In total, this book consists of 18 chapters, and each chapter consists of a significant introduction followed by various explanations of each sub-chapter to the conclusion and the prospects for the future. [Extracted from the article]

An alternative to reduce the undesirable effects of antineoplastic agents has been the combination of classical treatments with nutritional strategies aimed at reducing systemic toxicity without decreasing the antitumor activity of already used drugs. Within this context, this study evaluated the possible reduction of toxicity when cisplatin treatment is combined with watermelon pulp juice supplementation in C57BL/6 mice with melanoma. Watermelon is a fruit rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, lycopene, carotene, and xanthophylls, which has shown effectiveness in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, weight loss, urinary infections, gout, hypertension, and mutagenicity. The following parameters were analyzed: animal survival, bone marrow genotoxicity, serum creatinine and urea, histopathological features of the tumor tissue, tumor weight and volume, and weight of non-tumor tissues (kidney, liver, spleen, heart, and lung). The results showed that watermelon had no antitumor effect but reduced the toxicity of cisplatin, as demonstrated by an increase in the number of bone marrow cells and a decrease in serum creatinine and urea levels. The data suggest that watermelon pulp juice can be an alternative for reducing the side effects of antineoplastic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jute (Corchorus sp.) leaves may contain lycopene, a strong antioxidant, but amounts in jute leaves are not known. The study was undertaken to estimate the lycopene content in fresh, processed, and preserved jute leaves of the cultivated jute species C. olitorius L. and C. capsularis L. The highest lycopene content was in 45-day-old fresh leaves which gradually decreased with increasing plant age. Among processing methods, leaves soaked in vinegar had the highest lycopene for C. olitorius but in C. capsularis the highest lycopene was in leaves boiled with water and salt for 15 min. All the processing methods led to increased availability of lycopene compared to fresh leaves. Preserved jute leaves retained lycopene following drying and preservation at −20°C. The highest lycopene was from cold dried preserved leaves at 4°C and then air dried leaves at 33–35°C; the lowest lycopene content was from leaves dried in an oven at 100°C. Lycopene content in leaves differed due to plant ages. Lycopene in 45-day-old plant jute leaves was more than doubled compared to fresh red tomatoes. Further evaluation is needed to determine if consumption and digestion affect the available lycopene content in jute leaves available to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato, a widely consumed vegetable crop, offers a real potential to combat human nutritional deficiencies. Tomatoes are rich in micronutrients and other bioactive compounds (including vitamins, carotenoids, and minerals) that are known to be essential or beneficial for human health. This review highlights the current state of the art in the molecular understanding of the nutritional aspects, conventional and molecular breeding efforts, and biofortification studies undertaken to improve the nutritional content and quality of tomato. Transcriptomics and metabolomics studies, which offer a deeper understanding of the molecular regulation of the tomato's nutrients, are discussed. The potential uses of the wastes from the tomato processing industry (i.e., the peels and seed extracts) that are particularly rich in oils and proteins are also discussed. Recent advancements with CRISPR/Cas mediated gene-editing technology provide enormous opportunities to enhance the nutritional content of agricultural produces, including tomatoes. In this regard, genome editing efforts with respect to biofortification in the tomato plant are also discussed. The recent technological advancements and knowledge gaps described herein aim to help explore the unexplored nutritional potential of the tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenols, condensed tannins, total flavonoids, total carotenoids, lycopene and ascorbic acid were determined besides verifying antioxidant capacity of peel, pulp and desserts (with and without sugar) of red guava (Psidium guajava L.) as well as the effects of lycopene on cytotoxicity, cell cycle and apoptosis on breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Guava peel contains 90% of the total ascorbic acid and heat treatment does not modify bioactive compounds content and antioxidant capacity. Sugar addition decreased guava pulp functional capacity. After heat treatment, lycopene content was stable, but sugar addition reduced its concentration by 57%. Lycopene (10 µM) extracted from guava and standard presented the same cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells. Lycopene influenced over G2-M transition check-point of the cell cycle and increased apoptotic cells percentages compared to untreated cells. The consumption of in natura guava, especially with peel can be considered an important source of bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of dietary lycopene supplementation on growth performance and antioxidant status of broiler chickens exposed to cold environment to induce ascites. Three hundred male chickens were exposed full-day to cold stress (CT, 10°C) starting from day 15 of age until the end of experiment at day 42, while a positive control group (NT, 100 birds) was kept under normal temperature (23–25°C). The CT groups (three treatments and five replicates of 20 birds) were as follows: negative control (basal diet, CT) and CT + 200 or 400 mg lycopene per kg diet from 15 to 42 d of age. Results showed that CT without lycopene supplementation caused a reduction of feed intake and weight gain and increased the feed conversion ratio. Supplementation of lycopene during CT restored the performance to levels of the positive control, lowered the index of right ventricles/total ventricles and ascites mortality. Birds reared under CT had lower serum activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and higher malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration than birds reared under the NT environment. With lycopene supplementation, serum MDA level significantly decreased and the activity of SOD and GPx increased. Blood concentration of haematocrit, haemoglobin and red blood cells were decreased by the highest lycopene supplementation to a level comparable to NT. Moreover, increasing dietary lycopene level suppressed serum concentrations of cholesterol and enhanced high-density lipoproteins levels in blood. In conclusion, lycopene supplementation alleviates adverse effects of cold stress on performance through modulating activity of antioxidant enzymes in broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the phytonutrient composition, antioxidant activity and nutraceutical potential of peels and seeds of two tomato cultivars. Levels of phytonutrients such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, chlorophyll, salicylic acid and vitamin C were assessed. Potential in vitro antioxidant activities were evaluated. Tomato has quite interesting levels of phenolic compounds such as total phenols and flavonoids, whose contents varied from 78.41 ± 1.52 to 272.17 ± 53 mg GAE/100 g DM and 13.35 to 139.89 mg QE/100 g DM, respectively. They also contained chlorophyll, which was concentrated in the peels (39 to 78 mg/100 g DM). β-carotene and lycopene contents ranged from 4.63 to 105 mg/100 g DM and 7.51 to 32.45 mg/100 g DM, respectively. Vitamin C level was high in peels with an average content of 27.82 mg/100 g DM. Tomato by-products showed high antioxidant activity with 61% DPPH inhibition and 108.55 to 120.86 µg EAA/g with FRAP method. With this richness in phytonutrients and their strong antioxidant power, tomato by-products have important nutraceutical potentials to be valorized with in vivo experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-supplemental carotenoids and retinol may potentiate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Chronic intraprostatic inflammation is linked to prostate carcinogenesis. We investigated the association of circulating carotenoids and retinol with intraprostatic inflammation in benign tissue. We included 235 men from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial placebo arm who had a negative end-of-study biopsy, most (92.8%) done without clinical indication. α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and retinol were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography using pooled year 1 and 4 serum. Presence and extent of intraprostatic inflammation in benign tissue was assessed in 3 (of 6–10) biopsy cores. Logistic (any core with inflammation vs none) and polytomous logistic (some or all cores with inflammation vs none) regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of intraprostatic inflammation by concentration tertile adjusting for age, race, prostate cancer family history, and serum cholesterol. None of the carotenoids or retinol was associated with intraprostatic inflammation, except β-cryptoxanthin, which appeared to be positively associated with any core with inflammation [vs none, T2: OR (95% CI) = 2.67 (1.19, 5.99); T3: 1.80 (0.84, 3.82), P-trend = 0.12]. These findings suggest that common circulating carotenoids and retinol are not useful dietary intervention targets for preventing prostate cancer via modulating intraprostatic inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] is a cucurbit with high value in Burkina Faso. It is appreciated for its fruits, which are widely consumed. In the literature, watermelon is described as an important source of bioactive compounds beneficial to health. There is very little scientific data on this supposed nutraceutical potential of the watermelon. This study aimed to characterize the nutraceutical and antioxidant potential of the pulp of five watermelon cultivars grown in Burkina Faso to identify the best cultivars for consumers. The study focused on the physicochemical, nutraceutical, and antioxidant activity characterization of the cultivars using standard methods. This study revealed a significant variation in total phenolics, flavonoids, β-carotene, and lycopene contents between the five cultivars while the color did not show significant variation. The color parameters with ΔE ranging from 40.62 ± 4.87 (SB cultivar) to 48.90 ± 15.81 (KK cultivar) determined did not reveal any significant difference between cultivars. For the phytochemical parameters: total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, β-carotene, and lycopene, the cultivars KK and KA showed the highest content. The statistical analysis of the results shows positive correlations between phytochemical composition and pulp color. The color could thus, depending on the cultivar and its maturity, constitute a preliminary indicator of choice for the estimation of the content of bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of salt pretreated with different concentration of lemon juice were investigated in order to improve the storage stability of dried tomato slices during six months storage. After six months of storage under controlled conditions, the results revealed that the moisture, color parameters (lightness, L *; redness, a * and yellowing, b *) and total phenolic of the sliced dried tomatoes pretreated with lemocta Technologica Agriculturaen juice (6% and 8%) showed a non-significant difference (p >.05) during storage compared to the control dried tomato slices. Lycopene and β-carotene levels in lemon juice pretreated dried tomato slices (6% and 8%) decreased less than in untreated dried tomato slices during storage. The pretreatments with specific mixtures with salt (15%) and lemon juice (6% and 8%) are the pretreatments that best preserve the color and bioactive molecules of the sliced dried tomato during storage. These pretreatments can be used by processors when drying the tomato for better preservation of the nutritional components of the tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated the effect of lycopene supplementation on serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients with prostate cancer. However, results have been inconclusive. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Scopus up to January 2020 to find RCTs investigating the effect of lycopene supplementation on serum levels of PSA in patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer. Using a random-effects model, the reported risk estimates were pooled. A total of six trials were included in the final analysis. we found no significant effect of lycopene on circulating PSA (WMD: −0.60, 95% CI: −2.01, 0.81 µg/L). However, we observed a significant reducing effect when the analysis was confined to studies that included patients with higher baseline levels of PSA (≥6.5 µg/L) (WMD: −3.74 µg/L, 95% CI: −5.15, −2.32, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis based on the duration of intervention did not result in any significant effect. Non-linear dose-response analysis did not show any significant effects of lycopene dosage (Pnon-linearity = 0.50) and duration of the intervention (Pnon-linearity = 0.63) on serum levels of PSA. Although lycopene supplementation did not produce any reduction in PSA levels overall, a significant reducing effect was observed in patients with higher levels of baseline PSA. Due to the heterogeneity of our results, further high-quality clinical trials with long-term duration are required to determine the efficacy of lycopene in patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) aid in informing treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Nevertheless, little is known about the role of diet on TILs. Immunohistologic expression of CD4, CD8, CD68, CD103, CD104 and FOXP3 were assessed in tissue microarrays from 233 previously untreated HNSCC patients. Associations between these markers and pretreatment dietary patterns were evaluated using linear regression. Associations between baseline serum carotenoids, tocopherols and TILs were assessed using logistic regression. Cox models evaluated the association between diet and TILs on overall and recurrence-free survival. Consumption of a Western dietary pattern was associated with lower CD8+ and FOXP3+ infiltrates (p-value:0.03 and 0.02, respectively). Multivariable logistic regression models demonstrated significantly higher CD8+ (OR:2.21;p-value:0.001) and FOXP3+ (OR:4.26;p-value:<0.0001) among patients with high gamma tocopherol. Conversely, high levels of xanthophylls (OR:0.12;p-value:<0.0001), lycopene (OR:0.36;p-value:0.0001) and total carotenoids(OR:0.31;p-value: <0.0001) were associated with significantly lower CD68+. Among those with high CD4+ (HR:1.77;p-value:0.03), CD68+ (HR:2.42;p-value:0.004), CD103+ (HR:3.64;p-value:0.03) and FOXP3+ (HR:3.09;p-value:0.05), having a high Western dietary pattern increased the risk of overall mortality when compared to a low Western dietary pattern. Dietary patterns and serum carotenoids may play an important role in modifying TILs, and ultimately, outcome after diagnosis with HNSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium wilt of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) incited by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici causes heavy yield loss due to the lack of a long term management options for this pathogen. The study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of biocontrol agents Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride and Aspergillus niger against wilt fungus. All biocontrol agents produced significant inhibitory effect on pathogen development. T. viride caused maximum reduction (83.56%) in growth and fresh (332.49 mg) and dry weight (52.19 mg) of the pathogen. In pot trial seed treatment with T. viride caused minimum disease severity (1.2) and maximum significant increase in plant fresh (60.23 g) and dry weight (23.82 g), plant length (63.91 cm) and yield/plant (258.05 g). T. harzianum seed treatment showed highest increase in chlorophyll (3.04 mg/g fresh weight) and lycopene content (75.43 mg/kg fresh weight) whereas T. viride seed treatment showed maximum total phenols (93.58 μg catechol/g fresh weight). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quercetin (QN) is a naturally occurring phenolic compound found largely in vegetables and fruits. Lycopene (LY) is yet another natural phytocompound, found abundantly in red-colored fruits and vegetables. Both have been reported to have beneficial activities in humans. In this study, we document in vivo experimental model for isoproterenol (ISO) cardiac injury toxicity in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and treatment with a combined optimized concentration of quercetin and lycopene (QL). Male SD rats of different groups were treated with QL (80 mg/kg QN and 3 mg/kg LY together p.o.) for 10 days with ISO administration (100 mg/kg i.p.) on days 7 and 8. After experimental period, CK-MB, TROP, AST, ALT, LDH, GST, GPx, CAT, SOD, Vit.E, Vit. C, GSH, GSSG and MDA were estimated. SD rats administered with ISO showed an obvious rise in the serum marker enzyme levels and tissue oxidative stress markers (MDA and GSSG). Furthermore, marked reductions in the body weight and increases enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidant levels were noticed. Histological features of the heart also indicated a disruption in the cardiac myofibrils structure of ISO-intoxicated rats. Also, quantitative PCR analysis revealed an involvement of antioxidant and related pathway genes such as Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, GSTµ, SOD1, SOD2, CAT and BCl-2 genes. QL pretreatment prevented all these adverse effects of ISO cardiotoxicity and significantly reduced the myocardial damage. Decrease in oxidative stress was observed, possibly through alterations in the expression levels of enzymic antioxidant genes (GSTµ, SOD1, SOD2 and CAT). In general, QL exert a strong protective effect through the modulations in enzymic antioxidant activity and associated molecular pathways-regulating effect in cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Consumption of nutritional supplements to optimize recovery is gaining popularity among athletes. Tomatoes contain micronutrients and various bioactive components with antioxidant properties. Many of the health benefits of tomatoes have been attributed to lycopene encouraging athletes to consume pure lycopene supplements. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of tomato powder and lycopene supplement on lipid peroxidation induced by exhaustive exercise in well-trained male athletes. Methods: Eleven well-trained male athletes participated in a randomized, double-blinded, crossover study. Each subject underwent three exhaustive exercise tests after 1-week supplementation of tomato powder (each serving contained 30 mg lycopene, 5.38 mg beta-carotene, 22.32 mg phytoene, 9.84 mg phytofluene), manufactured lycopene supplement (30 mg lycopene), or placebo. Three blood samples (baseline, post-ingestion and post-exercise) were collected to assess total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC) and variables of lipid peroxidation including malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-isoprostane. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures of ANOVA at P < 0.05. Results: Tomato powder enhanced total antioxidant capacity (12% increase, P = 0.04). Exhaustive exercise, regardless of supplement/ placebo, elevated MDA and 8-isoprostane levels (P < 0.001). The elevation of 8–isoprostane following exhaustive exercise was lower in the tomato powder treatment compared to the placebo (9% versus 24%, p = 0.01). Furthermore, following exhaustive exercise MDA elevated to a lower extent in tomatoe powder treatment compared to the placebo (20% versus 51%, p = 0.009). However, such differences were not indicated between lycopene and placebo treatments (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Beneficial effects of tomato powder on antioxidant capacity and exercise-induced lipid peroxidation may be brought about by a synergistic interaction of lycopene with other bioactive nutrients rather than single lycopene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of lycopene as a complementary medicine for Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is limited and controversial. This study evaluated the effect of lycopene intake on the changes of glycaemic status and antioxidant capacity among the T2DM patients. This case–control study involved the participation of 87 patients and 122 healthy individuals. Lycopene intake was assessed by using a food frequency questionnaire. The peripheral antioxidant capacity among the T2DM patients was evaluated. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were measured as indications of glycaemic status. Peripheral antioxidant capacity was significantly lower in the T2DM group. Direct positive correlations were found between the lycopene intake and peripheral antioxidant level among the T2DM patients. Contrarily, HbA1c and FPG levels decreased significantly with the higher lycopene intake. T2DM patients with a higher lycopene intake showed a greater peripheral antioxidant capacity and better glycaemic control. Lycopene may act to ameliorate oxidative stress and improve the pathophysiology of T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycopene (LYC), a natural compound responsible for the red color of some fruits like pink grapefruit, red guava, watermelon, papaya and, mainly, present in tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). LYC has been extensively studied because of its various pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, cardioprotective, hypocholesterolemic, antineophasic, photoprotection, antidiabetic and antimicrobial activity. However, LYC uses in therapy is limited due to its insolubility in aqueous solvents, resulting in low bioavailability and stability. In order to overcome these drawbacks, it is essential to use of organic nanocarriers for LYC controlled release. Up to now, the description of LYC-loaded organic nanocarriers are scarce, mainly related to organic nanosystems based on lipid nanostructures such as nanoemulsions (NE), liposomes (LP), niosomes (NI), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). Taking into account the development of new formulations, is indispensable the use of sensitive and suitable analytical methods previously validated. Among the analytical methods described here, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) stands out due to its good accuracy, precision and desirable detection limit. In this review, we highlights the main biological and physicochemical properties of LYC, as well as LYC-based organic nanocarriers for controlled drug delivery and the analytical methods described in literature to determine LYC in any kind of matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diet containing watermelon coloring (5, 20, 35 and 50 mg lycopene/100g) was fed to albino rats to study in-vivo bioavailability of lycopene. The rats were fed with lycopene enriched test diets for seven days of treatment period along with control diet during pre and post treatment periods of seven days each. The body weight of each group of albino rats significantly increased during feeding trial which showed that rats were in healthy condition during the treatment. The daily lycopene intake from test diets varied from 0.03 to 0.51 mg during treatment period of seven days which decreased to 0.02–0.07 mg during post-treatment period with control diet. The lycopene absorbed by different groups of rats varied from 0.22 to 3.74 mg/kg body weight of rat during treatment period and 0.15–0.67 mg/kg body weight of rat during post-treatment periods. Lycopene bioavailability increased proportionately with the lycopene content of test diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative damage caused by aflatoxin (AF) in rat liver tissue and the inhibition effect of lycopene against this injury was investigated. Groups were formed as; control group (not treated), lycopene group (5 mg/kg/day, gavage for 15 days), AFB1 group (0.5 mg/kg/day, gavage for 7 days) and AFB1 + lycopene group. Lycopene administered simultaneously with AFB1. It was observed significant increase in malondialdehyde level, decrease in glutathione level, antioxidant enzyme activities in liver tissue of AFB1 group when compared with control group. It was determined to significantly increase in plasma aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase activities in AFB1 group when compared with control group. It was determined significant decrease in malondialdehyde level, plasma aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase activities and increase in glutathione level, antioxidant enzyme activities in AFB1 + lycopene group when compared with AFB1 group. This study suggests that lycopene which has antioxidant properties can be prevented from AFB1 induced hepatotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycopene exhibits neuroprotective properties due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functionality. As watermelon is a rich source of lycopene, pasteurized watermelon juice provides lycopene in its most bioavailable form. This study examined relationships between circulating lycopene, cognitive performance, and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in response to pasteurized 100% watermelon juice supplementation. A placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, crossover trial was conducted with postmenopausal women (n = 16, 60 + 4.1 years). Participants consumed two 360 mL servings of pasteurized 100% watermelon juice or a placebo beverage for 4 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected, and cognitive tests were administered to assess various neurocognitive domains. Statistical analyses included mixed models and Spearman correlations. Serum lycopene exhibited a significant treatment effect (p = 0.002) with a mean increase of 81%. However, this increase was not associated with changes in oxidative stress, inflammation, or cognitive function. Additional research is warranted to determine dose-durational effects for promoting cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There may be a link between pre-harvest treatment and the post-harvest quality traits of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) fruit. The experiment was undertaken to determine the relationship between year of production, fertilizer type, and fruit-ripening index on nutritive and biochemical contents of tomato fruits sourced from the Directorate of University Farms, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Data were collected on: proximate content, total soluble solids (TSS), Vitamin C, lycopene, pH and β-carotene. Fruits harvested at full ripe stage had the highest ash, moisture content, crude fiber, crude protein, fat, ß-carotene, TSS and Vitamin C contents. Year of production did not affect proximate content except for crude fiber. Fertilizer type did not affect proximate content except for ash content. Harvest maturity stage influenced proximate, nutritive, and biochemical content of tomato fruit. Fertilizer type used for cultivation and the stage of maturity at harvest are important factors determining tomato fruit nutritive contents and proximate composition. Knowledge of the right stage of maturity at harvest will affect supply of good quality tomato for the fresh market and food processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]