Antioxidative effect of concentrated plastids of tomato fruit in rats

To evaluate the antioxidative effect of concentrated plastids of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruit in vivo, we measured lipid peroxides and antioxidant status in plasma, liver and brain of Wistar rats and of spontaneous cataract rats (ICR/f) after 9-week of oral administration of concentrated tomato plastids (contained 0.1% lycopene, w/v) as a drink (tomato beverage). In the tomato beverage-administered rats, substantial level of lycopene was accumulated in liver (19.1 and 12.7 μg/g liver in Wistar rats and ICR/f rats, respectively), and the liver phospholipid hydroperoxide concentration was lower (-47% and -54% in Wistar rats and ICR/f rats, respectively) than that of control rats given distilled water as a drink instead of tomato beverage. The present findings suggest that drinking of the concentrated plastids of tomato fruit contributes to suppress membrane phospholipid peroxidation in the liver. Therefore, habitual intake of tomato, tomato beverage and its processed food may be beneficial for the maintenance of health by preventing oxidative stress in liver which is the central organ for metabolism.