Immune modulators, functional foods

Over the last decade, there has been a steady increase in the popularity and usage of natural products to enhance overall health. These nutraceuticals and functional foods modulate the function of various physiological systems including the immune system. By altering immunity, it is possible to augment an individual s ability to ward off infection, or suppress autoimmunity and chronic inflammatory diseases. Thus, the renaissance of herbal extracts as well as the increased consumption of other dietary components has afforded the public a relatively inexpensive way to self-medicate. 

Tomato (Solarium lycopersicwn L.) is extensively cultivated worldwide, and its fruits have assumed the status of functional foods as a result of epidemiological evidence of reduced risks of certain types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases [180,181]. They are a reservoir of diverse antioxidant molecules, such as lycopene, ascorbic acid, vitamin E, carotenoids, flavraioids, and phenolics, and may provide a significant part of the total intake of beneficial phytochemicals, as a result of then-high consumption rates. Among carotenoids, lycopene has a strong antioxidant activity and is able to induce cell-to-ceU communications and modulate hormones, immune systems, and other metabolic pathways [182]. 

In the Unites States, the daily intake of 3-carotene is around 2 mg/day Several epidemiological studies have reported that consumption of carotenoid-rich foods is associated with reduced risks of certain chronic diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular disease, and age-related macular degeneration. These preventive effects of carotenoids may be related to their major function as vitamin A precursors and/or their actions as antioxidants, modulators of the immune response, and inducers of gap-junction communications. Not all carotenoids exert similar protective effects against specific diseases. By reason of the potential use of carotenoids as natural food colorants and/or for their health-promoting effects, research has focused on better understanding how they are absorbed by and metabolized in the human body. 

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