Abstract
Lycopene is a pigment belonging to the group of carotenoids and it is among the most carefully studied antioxidants found especially in fruit and vegetables. As a carotenoid, lycopene exerts beneficial effects on human health by protecting lipids, proteins, and DNA from damage by oxidation. Lycopene is a powerful oxygen inactivator in the singlet state. This is suggestive of the fact that lycopene harbors comparatively stronger antioxidant properties over other carotenoids normally present in plasma. Lycopene is also reported to hinder cancer cell proliferation. The uncontrolled, rapid division of cells is a characteristic of the metabolism of cancer cells. Evidently, lycopene causes a delay in the progression of the cell cycle, which explains its antitumor activity. Furthermore, lycopene can block cell transformation by reducing the loss of contact inhibition of cancer cells. This paper collects recent studies of scientific evidence that show the multiple beneficial properties of lycopene, which acts with different molecular and cellular mechanisms.
Highlights
Lycopene is an acyclic linear carotenoid characterized by eleven conjugated double bonds
Lycopene is found in the structural form of “trans”-type isomers; exposure to heat sources or even light irradiation involves a modification of its structure in cis isomers, which are more assimilable by the human body, showing, a greater bioavailability
Processed food that involves the concentration procedure, which is associated with water loss, certainly contributes to making cooked tomatoes a great reservoir of lycopene compared to the raw product
Summary
Lycopene is an acyclic linear carotenoid characterized by eleven conjugated double bonds. Lycopene is found in the structural form of “trans”-type isomers; exposure to heat sources or even light irradiation involves a modification of its structure in cis isomers (mainly in positions 5, 9, 13, and 15), which are more assimilable by the human body, showing, a greater bioavailability. Quite possibly this might occur in vivo. Oxidative stress is due to an increased production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS, RNS), which are not sufficiently balanced by antioxidant cellular systems. Once the molecule reaches its ground state, another 1O2 can be neutralized, providing the ability for each carotenoid molecule to extinguish approximately one thousand molecules of 1O2 [8]
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