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Lee Swanson Research Update
Tomato Lycopene May Have a Partner for Prostate Protection
June 2008
Lycopene in tomatoes has been generally credited with supporting prostate health. Now it appears that another substance derived from tomatoes may be helping lycopene.
Dehydration of tomatoes leads to the formation of carbohydrate derivative compounds, one of which is a ketosamine that acts synergistically with lycopene. In a recent study, 45% fewer rats with prostate cancer died after being fed the ketosamine and tomato paste than diseased animals not fed the mixture.
The study, published in the journal Cancer Research, appears to highlight the synergistic effects of lycopene and other compounds present in tomatoes. Epidemiological evidence has suggested that tomato-based foods can protect men from prostate cancer.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a claim on the potential 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.
One such compound could be the ketosamine FruHis, suggest the findings of the new study by researchers at the University of Missouri.
“Before this study, researchers attributed the protective effect of tomatoes to ascorbic acid, carotenoids, or phenolic compounds,” explained lead author Valeri Mossine. “FruHis may represent a novel type of potential dietary antioxidant. Experiments like these suggest that a combination of FruHis and lycopene should be investigated as a potential therapeutic anti-tumor agent, not just a prevention strategy.”
Mossine and co-workers divided 80 Wilstar-Unilever rats into four equal groups and fed them a control diet or a diet supplemented with tomato paste, tomato powder or tomato paste and additional FruHis. One week later, and for three weeks, the animals were then injected with chemicals to induce prostate cancer.
Consumption of the tomato paste-FruHis supplemented diet was associated with the longest survival from cancer at 51 weeks compared with 50 weeks in the tomato powder group, 45 weeks in the tomato paste alone group and 40 weeks in the control group, researchers reported.
Furthermore, only 10% of the animals in the tomato paste-FruHis group had prostate tumors, compared to 31% in the tomato powder group, 25% in the tomato paste alone group and 60% in the control group.
Cancer Research 68(11):4384-4391, 2008
