E-Mail: info@behrbonn.com
Dr. Behr GmbH
Königswinterer Str. 37 a - D-53227 Bonn
Tel. +49-228-976396-0 - +49-228-976396-12
Dietetic and Pharmaceutical Raw Materials
LYCOPENE
A Summary of Publications
Lycopene is a dark red
colored carotene isomere (psi-carotene) which occurs in many fruits and in
particular in rosehips and tomatoes (20 mg/kg). Recent scientific publications
prove that Lycopene is an important chemopreventive food ingredient.
In the socalled "Nun
Study" a group of 77 to 98 year old women was tested for the plasma
concentration of various carotenoids (Lycopene, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene,
zeaxanthin + lutein) and of tocopherol. The results were compared with the
functional capacity (dependence in self-care) of the test persons. A strong
correlation between functional capacity and lycopene concentration was found.
Such a correlation was absent for the other carotenoids or tocopherol (
GIOVANUCCI (1995)
investigated the statistical influence of carotenoid containing foods with the
incidence of prostate cancer. Of 46 types of food four diminished this
incidence. Three thereof contain (tomato based) Lycopene, the fourth
(strawberry) did not.
A strong antiproliferative
effect of Lycopene on cancer cells in vitro was observed by LEVY (1995).
Of all food carotenoids
Lycopene was found to have the highest quenching rate constant for singulett
oxygen (that is oxygen in a reactive state) (DI MASCIO, 1989).
FRANCESCHI (1994) made a
statistical investigation in
TSUGANE (1992) shows a
negative correlation between Lycopene plasma concentration and the mortality by
stomach cancer. LE MARCHAND (1991) revises his interpretation of a case study
of 452 prostate cancer cases in Hawai. While no influence of the consumption of
carotene rich food is found there is a negative correlation of cancer incidence
and the consumption of Papaya. Papaya, however, contains Lycopene as most
important carotenoid (next to cryptoxanthin and cryptoxanthin derivatives)
(CANO, 1996).
COMSTOCK (1991) observes a
strong association of low Lycopene serum concentrations with pancreas carcinom
and a somewhat weaker association with bladder and rectum carcinom.
In mice of a strain with a
high spontaneous mamma carcinom incidence feed with a concentration of 5x10E-5%
(0.5 ppm) Lycopene lead to a significant suppression of tumor formation
(NAGASAWA, 1995). Lycopene (and other carotenoids) determined in the serum do
not appear to have a protective influence against melanoma (and other skin
cancers) (BRESLOW, 1995).
There is also no
statistical correlation between the consumption of tomatoes (nor any carotene
rich foods) with the incidence of lung cancer (STEINMETZ, 1993). 122
References
BRESLOW, R.A., 1995:
Serological precursors of cancer: malignant melanoma, basal and squamous cell
skin cancer, and prediagnostic levels of retinol, beta- carotene, lycopene,
alpha-tocopherol, and selenium. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers. Prev. 1995 Dec;
4(8): 837-42
CANO, M.P. et al., 1996:
Effects of freezing and canning of papaya slices on their carotenoid
composition. Z. Lebensm. Unters. Forsch., 1996 Apr; 202(4): 279-84
COMSTOCK, G.W., et al., 1991:
Prediagnostic serum levels of carotenoids and vitamin E as related to
subsequent cancer in
FRANCESCHI, S. et al.:
1994: Tomatoes and risk of digestive-tract cancers. Int. J. Cancer, 1994 Oct
15; 59(2): 181-4 GIOVANNUCI, E. et al., 1995: Intake of carotenoids and retinol
in relation to risk of prostate cancer. J. Natl. Cancer. Inst. 1995 Dec 6;
87(23): 1767-76
LE MARCHAND, L., et al.,
1991: Vegetable and fruit consumption in relation to prostate cancer risk in
MARES-PERLMAN, J.A., 1995:
Serum antioxidants and age-related macular degeneration in a population-based
case-control study. Arch. Ophthalmol. 1995 Dec; 113(12): 1518-23
NAGASAWA, H. et al., 1995:
Effects of lycopene on spontaneous mammary tumour development in SHN virgin
mice. Anticancer Res., 1995 Jul-Aug; 15(4): 1173-8
STEINMETZ, K.A. et al., 1993: Vegetables, fruit, and lung cancer in the Iowa Women's Health Study. Cancer-Res. 1993 Feb 1; 53(3): 536-43 TSUGANE, S. et al., 1992: Cross-sectional study with multiple measurements of biological markers for assessing stomach cancer risks at the population level. Environ. Health. Perspect. 1992 Nov; 98: 207-10
