Effect of a Tomato-Based Drink on Markers of Inflammation,Immunomodulation,and Oxidative Stress

摘要

Regular consumption of tomato and its products is being consistently associated with lower risk of several types of cancer and,to a lesser extent,coronary heart disease.Among the many tomato components credited with healthful properties,carotenoids and particularly lycopene are being actively investigated.Given the recognized role of immune/inflammatory processes in atherogenesis,the effects of a tomato-based drink(Lyc-o-Mato),which was previously shown to afford DNA protection from oxidative stress,on the modulation of immune and inflammatory markers(by enzyme immunoessay),on basal lymphocyte DNA damage(by comet assay),and on F_2-isoprostane excretion(by LC-MS/MS),were investigated in 26 healthy young volunteers.In a placebo-controlled,double-blind,crossover study,Lyc-o-Mato(5.7 mg of lycopene,3.7 mg of phytoene,2.7 mg of phytofluene,1 mg of beta-carotene,and 1.8 mg of alpha-tocopherol)or a placebo drink(same taste and flavor,but devoid of active compounds)were given for 26 days,separated by a wash-out period.During the study subjects maintained their habitual,hence unrestricted,diet.TNF-alpha production by whole blood was 34.4% lower after 26 days of drink consumption,whereas the other parameters were not significantly modified by the treatment.In turn,modest effects of the regular intake of a tomato drink,providing small amounts of carotenoids,were found on the production of inflammatory mediators,such as TNF-alpha,in young healthy volunteers.Future intervention trials in subjects with low carotenoid status and/or compromised immune system will resolve the issue of whether carotenoids modulate immune parameters in humans.