trans-Lycopene from tomato juice attenuates inflammatory biomarkers in human plasma samples: An intervention trial.

SCOPE: The effect of carotenoids from tomato juice (TJ) on inflammatory biomarkers was evaluated by performing a 4-week dose-response nutritional trial in a population at high cardiovascular risk.

METHODS AND RESULTS: An open, prospective, randomized, cross-over, and controlled clinical trial was carried out with 28 volunteers (mean age 69.7 ± 3.1 years; mean BMI 31.5 ± 3.6 kg/m2 ) at high cardiovascular risk, which were assigned to consume daily for 4 weeks in random order: 200 mL (LD) or 400 mL (HD) of TJ, or water as a control (C), with a 21-day wash-out period between each intervention. Blood samples were collected at baseline (B) and after each intervention. Endpoints included significant changes in plasmatic carotenoids, and adhesion molecules ICAM-1, and VCAM-1, as well as a tendency to decrease the chemokine IL-8. Compared to C, concentration of ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 were significantly lower (p ˂ 0.001), after each TJ intervention. Decreases were correlated remarkably with the trans-lycopene, while the other carotenoids present in TJ have presented a minor association or no association with changes in these molecules.

CONCLUSION: trans-Lycopene from TJ may attenuate the risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing the concentration of important inflammatory molecules related to atherosclerosis.