Lee Swanson Research Update

Tomato Carotenoids Give Lycopene a Helping Hand for Prostate Protection

December 2007

Phytoene and phytofluene, lesser known compounds from tomatoes, accumulate in significant quantities in key organs and may play a role in health benefits previously attributed to lycopene, according to a new study with rats.

By feeding rats a diet containing a tomato powder, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign report that all three compounds accumulated in the prostate of the animals, research that fills in gaps in our knowledge.

Detailing the reasons behind instigating the study researchers stated: "Tomato product consumption is inversely related to prostate cancer incidence, and lycopene has been implicated in reduced prostate cancer risk. The contribution of other tomato carotenoids, phytoene (PE) and phytofluene (PF), toward prostate cancer risk has not been adequately studied."

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a claim on the role of tomatoes in reducing the risk of prostate, gastric, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, indicating that the other compounds found in the whole fruit may be conferring benefits, possibly in synergy with lycopene.

The most likely candidates to date are PE and PF. "Because of the substantial quantities of PE and PF in tomatoes and research studies supporting the relationship between increased tomato consumption and reduced prostate cancer risk, it is essential to begin evaluating the potential biologic effects of PE and PF, in addition to lycopene," researchers said.

Campbell and co-workers pre-fed four-week-old male Fisher 344 rats a special diet supplemented with tomato powder (10%). The PE, PF and lycopene content of the tomato powder were calculated to provide, respectively, 0.015, 0.012 and 0.011 grams per kilograms of diet.

After the 30-day feeding program, liver concentrations of PF were higher than PE or lycopene. The researchers subsequently fed the tomato-powder-fed animals a single dose of PE or PF (2.7 mg) and found significant increases in the carotenoids concentrations in all the tissues studied, except the adrenal gland.

"Results from this work provide a better understanding of relative PE and PF tissue accumulation, compared to lycopene (information not previously known)," wrote Campbell.

The researchers outlined the need for future study to continue the evaluation of PE and PF in prostate cancer prevention.

Nutrition Research 27(12):794-801, 2007

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