Tomato carotenoid lycopene

Hazai, E, Z Bikadi, F Zsila, and SF. Lockwood. 2006. Molecular modeling of the non-covalent binding of the dietary tomato carotenoids lycopene and lycophill, and selected oxidative metabolites with 5-lipoxygenase. Bio Med Chem 14 6859-6867. 

Cohen, L.A., A review of animal model studies of tomato carotenoids, lycopene, and cancer prevention, Exp. Biol. Med., Ill, 864, 2002. 

Fertile sources of carotenoids include carrots and leafy green vegetables such as spinach. Tomatoes contain significant amounts of the red carotenoid, lycopene. Although lycopene has no vitamin A activity, it is a particularly efficient antioxidant (see Antioxidants). Oxidation of carotenoids to biologically inactive xanthophyUs represents an important degradation pathway for these compounds (56). 

Other dietary factors implicated in prostate cancer include retinol, carotenoids, lycopene, and vitamin D consumption.5,6 Retinol, or vitamin A, intake, especially in men older than age 70, is correlated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, whereas intake of its precursor, [3-carotene, has a protective or neutral effect. Lycopene, obtained primarily from tomatoes, decreases the risk of prostate cancer in small cohort studies. The antioxidant vitamin E also may decrease the risk of prostate cancer. Men who developed prostate cancer in one cohort study had lower levels of l,25(OH)2-vitamin D than matched controls, although a prospective study did not support this.2 Clearly, dietary risk factors require further evaluation, but because fat and vitamins are modifiable risk factors, dietary intervention may be promising in prostate cancer prevention. 

Paetau, I. et al.. Chronic ingestion of lycopene-rich tomato juice or lycopene supplements significantly increases plasma concentrations of lycopene and related tomato carotenoids in humans. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 68, 1187, 1998. 

To date, only eight studies in animal models have been pubhshed on the cancer chemopreventive effects of lycopene or tomato carotenoids (Table 32.3), with the majority showing a protective effect of lycopene. A positive correlation between lycopene or tomato product intake and cancer... 

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]. 

Lycopene accounts for >85% of the total tomato carotenoids in red-ripe fruits thus causing its characteristic colour (Lenucci et al. 2006 and references therein). This open-chain hydrocarbon with 11 conjugated and two isolated double bonds has the highest degree of unsaturation of all carotenoids. Its concentration varies from 30 to 200mg/kg fresh wt (Topal et al. 2006). Phytoene, p-carotene, and lutein are further quantitatively remarkable constituents (Bums et al. 2003). 

Although the number of aroma compounds derived from acyclic carotenoids is much inferior to that of the mono- and bicyclic compounds, some of them can also be considered as breakdown products from genuine mono-, sesqui- and diterpenoids. The importance of the aliphatic isoprenoids (282) to (291) in the formation of total flavors of certain foodstuffs is not less than that of the cyclic compounds, the three methyl ketones (282), (287) and (290) which are related to the main tomato pigment lycopene were observed in tomato flavor (75). The hexahydro derivative (291) from coffee (595), jasmine oil (722) and green tea 438) is perceived as flowery and warm and can be considered as an oxidative biodegradation product of phytol and phyta-diene. 6-Methyl-3,5-heptadien-2-one (283), with a grassy and cinnamonlike aroma 438) [detected in tomato 668), the essential oil of Hama-metis leaves 383), Ceylon tea (722) and passion fruit (777)], and pseudo-ionone (288) [also isolated from passion fruit (777)] are believed to be formed from two different dehydrolycopenes. Compounds other than carotenoids, such as solanesol or squalene, can also be considered... 

Strati et al. (2014) studied the extraction of carotenoids (lycopene) from tomato pomace assisted by enzyme and high pressure. Total carotenoid and lycopene extraction yields were increased by the use of pectinase and cellulase enzymes, when compared to the non enzyme treated solvent extraction process. 

Different tomato phenotypes were analysed for the content of total polyphenols, selected flavonoids, including flavonols (rutin and a rutin-derivative), flavanones (naringenin and the related chalcone) and carotenoids (lycopene and P-carotene). The identity of these conoponents was based on their chromatographic, ultraviolet and mass spectrometric behavior. All phenotypes were surveyed for dieir total antioxidant activity (TAA), and correlations betweens TAA values and the content of each group of constituents. 

To this purpose, thirty-one different tomato cultivars were analyzed by spectrophotometric, chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods. Firstly, the content of flavonols (rutin and a mtin-pentoside), flavanones (naringenin and its chalcone), cinnamic acid derivatives (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid and a chlorogenic acid analogue), carotenoids (lycopene, P-carotene and lutein) and total polyphenols were determined. 

Figure 7.21 Green tomatoes contain the steroidal alkaloid tomatine. Levels decline in ripe fruit which contain the carotenoids lycopene, fS-carotene and lutein. Quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, naringenin and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid are also present.

Lycopene is the principal pigment found in tomatoes and is responsible for the characteristic deep-red color of ripe tomato fruits and tomato products. Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes, and represent about 83% of the total pigments present II). Tomatoes and tomato products are the major source of lycopene, and are considered to be an important contributor of carotenoids to the human diet. Deep-red fresh tomato finits are considered to... 

The tomato waste/solvent ratio was 1 10 and different extraction parameters (type of solvent, extraction time, temperature, and number of successive extractions) were tested. Regarding the extraction temperature, the experiments were carried out at 25 C. Carotenoid concentration (expressed as lycopene, since this carotenoid represents around 80-90% of total tomato carotenoids) increased with time and the equilibrium concentration was achieved at approximately 30 min of extraction time. The concentration was considerably low in ethanol (0.38 mg/L) and higher in ethyl lactate (12.52 mg/L) at equilibrium. The concentration for the other solvents was between 1.99-2.82 mg/L. 

Carotenoids cannot be synthesized by humans therefore they must be obtained from dietary sources. These are primarily highly pigmented red, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables. The carotenoid lycopene is red however, not all red fruits and vegetables contain lycopene. For example, the red in strawberries, apples, and cherries is a result of their anthocyanin content whereas, tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit derive their red color from lycopene. The carotenoids... 

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