Therapeutic and medicinal uses of lycopene: a systematic review

Bishal Joshi; Sanjit Kumar Kar; Prem Kumar Yadav; Shankar Yadav; Laxmi Shrestha; Tushar Kanti Bera

doi:10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20200804

Authors

Bishal Joshi Department of Physiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini Zone, Nepal
Sanjit Kumar Kar Department of Physiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini Zone, Nepal
Prem Kumar Yadav Department of Physiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini Zone, Nepal
Shankar Yadav Department of Physiology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini Zone, Nepal
Laxmi Shrestha Department of Pharmacology, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Lumbini Zone, Nepal
Tushar Kanti Bera Department of Biological Science, Midnapore City College, Paschim Midnapore, West Bengal, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20200804

Keywords:

Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Lycopene

Abstract

Lycopene is a carotenoid present in fruits and vegetables. The richest sources of lycopene are tomatoes and tomato products. The beneficial effects of lycopene in human health and disease are mainly associated with its antioxidant properties. Lycopene is a carotenoid with strongest antioxidant property because of its capability of quenching the singlet oxygen. Eleven conjugated double bonds of lycopene give it a deep red color and are responsible for its antioxidant activity which is major functional feature of lycopene. Dietary intakes of tomatoes and tomato products containing lycopene have been shown to be associated with decreased risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases in numerous studies. Although there are evidences from many epidemiological and cell culture and animal studies explaining the inverse relationship between lycopene and cancer or cardiovascular disease risk, more clinical trial data is needed to support this hypothesis. In this article we outline the possible mechanisms of action of lycopene and review the current understanding of its role in human health and disease prevention.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Brown AA, Hu FB. Dietary modulation of endothelial function: implications for cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutri. 2001;71:673-86.

Satia JA, Littman A, Slatore CG, Galanko JA, White E. Long-term use of b-carotene, retinol, lycopene, and lutein supplements and Lung cancer risk: Results from the vitamins and lifestyle (VITAL) study. Am J Epidemiol. 2009;169:815-28.

Giovannucci E. A review of epidemiologic studies of tomatoes, lycopene and prostate cancer. Exp Biol Med. 2002;227:852-9.

Arab L, Steck S. Lycopene and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutri. 2000;71:1691-5.

Schunck CA. The xanthophyll group of yellow colouring matters. Proc Res Soc Lond. 1903;72:165-76.

Weng KK, Khoo HE, Prasad KN, Ismail A, Tan CP, Rajab NF. Revealing the power of the natural red pigment lycopene. Molecules. 2010;15:959-87.

Jacob K, Periago MJ, Bohm V, Berruezo GR. Influence of lycopene and vitamin C from tomato juice on biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation. Bra J Nutri. 2008;99:137-46.

Sandhir R, Mehrotra A, Kamboj SS. Lycopene prevents 3 - nitropropionic acid-induced mitochondrial oxidative stress and dysfunctions in nervous system. Neurochem Int. 2010;57:579-87.

Young AJ, Lowe GM. Antioxidant and prooxidant properties of carotenoids. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2001;385:20-7.

Willis MS, Wiams FH. The role of nutrition in preventing prostate cancer: a review of the proposed mechanisms of action of various dietary substances. Clinica Cimica Acta. 2003;330:57-83.

Shi J, Maguer M, Bryan M. Lycopene from tomatoes. In: Shi J, Mazza G, Maguer M eds. Functional foods-biochemical and processing aspects. CRC Press; USA,; 2002:135-168.

Erdman JW, Ford NA, Lindshield BL. Are the health attributes of lycopene related to its antioxidant function? Arch Biochem Biophys. 2009;483:229-35.

Karakaya S, Yilmaz N. Lycopene content and antioxidant activity of fresh and processed

tomatoes and in vitro bioavailability of lycopene. J Sci Food Agric. 2007;87:2342-7.

Hsu KC. Evaluation of processing qualities of tomato juice induced by thermal and pressure processing. Food Sci Technol. 2008;41:450-9.

Shi J. Lycopene in tomatoes: Chemical and physical properties affected by food processing. Critical Reviews Ind Food Sci Nutri. 2000;40:1-42.

Krinsky NI, Johnson EJ. Carotenoid actions and their relation to health and disease. Mol Aspects Med. 2005;26:459-516.

During A, Harrison EH. An in vitro model to study the intestinal absorption of carotenoids. Food Res Int. 2005;38:1001-8.

Failla ML, Chitchumroonchokchai C, Ishida BK. In vitro micellarization and intestinal cell uptake of cis-isomers of lycopene exceed those of all-trans lycopene. J Nutri. 2008;138:482-6.

Gajic M, Zaripheh S, Sun F, Erdman JW. Apo-8/-lycopenal and apo-12/-lycopenal are metabolic products of lycopene in rat liver. J Nutri. 2006;136:1552-7.

Boileau TM, Boileau AC, Erdman JW. Bioavailability of all-trans and cis-isomers of lycopene. Exp Biol Med. 2002;227:914-9.

Erdman JW. How does nutritional and hormonal status modify the bioavailability, uptake, and distribution of different isomers of lycopene? J Nutri. 2005;135:2046-7.

Goralczyk R, Siler U. The role of lycopene in human health. Phytochemicals in health and disease. In: Bao Y, Fenwick R, eds. Marcel Dekker. New York, USA.; 2004:285-309.

Rao AV, Agarwal S. Role of antioxidant lycopene in cancer and heart disease. J Am Nutri. 2000;19:563-9.

Zaripheh S, Boileau TM, Lila MA, Erdman JW. [14C]-lycopene and [14C]-labeled polar products are differentially distributed in tissues of F344 rats prefed lycopene. J Nutri. 2003;133:4189-95.

Schweiggert RM, Kopec RE, Villalobos GMG. Carotenoids are more bioavailable from papaya than from tomato and carrot in humans: a randomised cross-over study. Bri J Nutri. 2014;111:490-8.

American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2008. Atlanta: American Cancer Society. 2008.

Scolastici C, Alves RO, Barbisan LF, Ferreira AA, Ribeiro DA, Salvadori DF. Antigenotoxicity and antimutagenicity of lycopene in HepG2 cell line evaluated by the comet assay and micronucleus test. Toxicol Invitro. 2008;22:510-4.

Mohanty NK, Saxena S, Singh UP, Goyal NK, Arora RP. Lycopene as a chemopreventive agent in the treatment of high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia. Urol Oncol Semin Ori. 2005;23:383-5.

Gunasekera RS, Sewgobind K, Desai S, Dunn L, Black HS, McKeehan WL, et al. Lycopene and lutein inhibit proliferation in rat prostate carcinoma cells. Nutri Cancer. 2007;58:171-7.

Giovannucci E. Tomato products, lycopene, and prostate cancer: a review of the epidemiological literature. J Nutri. 2005;135:2030-1.

Pirayesh IJ, Mehrali H. Lycopene as a carotenoid provides radioprotectant and antioxidant effects by quenching radiation-induced free radical singlet oxygen: an overview. Cell J. 2015;16:386-91.

Stahl W, Sies H. Antioxidant activity of carotenoids. Mol Aspects Med. 2003;24:345-51.

Cantrell A, Mcgarvey DJ, Truscott TG, Rancan F, Böhm F. Singlet oxygen quenching by dietary carotenoids in a model membrane environment. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2003;412:47-54.

Ginsberg HN, Stalenhoef AF. The metabolic syndrome: targeting dyslipidaemia to reduce coronary risk. J Cardiovas Risk. 2003;10:121-8.

Rao AV. Lycopene tomatoes and the prevention of coronary heart disease. Exp Biol Med. 2002;227:908-13.

Palozza P, Catalano A, Simone RE, Mele MC, Cittadini A. Effect of lycopene and tomato products on cholesterol metabolism. Ann Nutri Metab. 2012;61:126-34.

US Mortality Data 2005. National center for health statistics, centers for disease control and prevention.; 2008.

Rissanen TH, Voutilainen S, Nyyssonen K, Salonen R, Kaplan GA, Salonen JT. Serum lycopene concentrations and carotid atherosclerosis: the Kuopio ischaemic heart disease risk factor study. Am J Clin Nutri. 2003;77:133-8.

Badiman L, Vilahur G, Padro T. Nutraceuticals and atherosclerosis: human trials. Cardiovas Therap. 2010;28:202-15.

Sesson HD, Liu S, Gaziano M, Buring J. Dietary lycopene, tomato-based food products and cardiovascular disease in women. J Nutri. 2003;133:2336-41.

Rissanen TH, Voutilainen S, Nyyssonen K, Salonen JT. Low plasma lycopene concentrations are associated with increased intima-media thickness of the carotid artery wall. Arteisclero Thrombo Vascul Biol. 2000;20:2677-81.

Coyne T, Ibiebele TI, Baade PD, Dobson A, McClintock C, Dunn S, et al. Diabetes mellitus and serum carotenoids: findings of a population-based study in Queensland, Australia. Am J Clin Nutri. 2005;82:685-93.

Ylönen K, Alfthan G, Groop L, Saloranta C, Aro A, Virtanen SM. Dietary intakes and plasma concentrations of carotenoids and tocopherols in relation to glucose metabolism in subjects at high risk of type 2 diabetes: the botnia dietary study. Am J Clin Nutri. 2003;77:1434-41.

Wang L, Liu S, Pradhan AD, Manson JE, Buring JE, Gaziano JM, et al. Plasma lycopene, other carotenoids, and the risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Am J Epidemiol. 2006;164:576-85.

Wolak T, Paran E. Can carotenoids attenuate vascular aging? Vascular Pharmacol. 2013;59:63-6.

Ivan MP. Lycopene deficiency in ageing and cardiovascular disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2016;16:1-6.

Semba RD, Chang SS, Sun K, Talegawkar S, Ferrucci L, Fried LP. Serum carotenoids and pulmonary function in older community-dwelling women. J Nutri Health Aging. 2012;16:291-6.

Silke KS, Vasiliki AZ, Evgenia M, Christos CZ. Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermato Endocrinol. 2012;4:298-307.