Development of a tomato-based food for special medical purposes as therapy adjuvant for patients with HCV infection

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to develop a food for special medical purposes (FSMP) and to assess its efficacy as adjuvant therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Design: Open randomized clinical trials with a tomato-based FSMP used as adjuvant treatment to the pharmacological therapy with pegilated interferon and ribavirin. Subjects: Eight healthy volunteers and 39 HCV patients. Interventions: For the bioavailability study, healthy subjects consumed 100 g/die FSMP for a week and their serum carotenoid profile at baseline, after the week of administration and 7 days later was determined. The same quantity of FSMP for 6 months by 20 of the 39 HCV patients was consumed in the clinical trial. Serum transaminase, haemoglobin (Hb) and hydroperoxide concentrations during the therapy were monitored in all patients. Results: FSMP consumption caused a fourfold increase of lycopene serum concentration in healthy subjects. A significant increase of carotenoids after 1 month of consumption also in patients with HCV was recorded. Transaminase and Hb serum levels, as well as therapeutic response, were not influenced by FSMP. The decrease in serum hydroperoxides was independent from FSMP consumption in long-term responder patients, whereas nonresponder (NR) patients of FSMP group showed higher reductions than NR patients of Control group. Conclusions: The FSMP was effective in improving carotenoid status in healthy subjects. In HCV patients, it did not influence the therapeutic response, but it prevented carotenoid serum depletion and it was effective in improving the oxidative status during antiviral therapy in NR patients.

Orange juice as dietary source of antioxidants for patients with hepatitis C under antiviral therapy

“…Nevertheless, some studies have already reported an improvement in patients infected by HCV with supplements of zinc,[13] vitamin E and C [27] among other nutrients. [28]…”

A Dietary Tomato Supplement Prevents Prostate Cancer in TRAMP Mice

“…Prolonged heating of whole tomatoes, including their seeds and skins, maximized the concentration of flavonoids and carotenoids (21) and promoted the formation of ketosamine (14).…”

“…Carotenoid determination, extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of sera, and serum flavonoid extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography/ tandem mass spectrometry analysis of the extracts were done as previously described (21,22). The ferric-reducing ability of plasma was assayed according to the original description (23).…”

Nutrition Therapy for Liver Diseases Based on the Status of Nutritional Intake

“…Also, in an in vitro study, HCV proliferation was markedly suppressed by treatment with PUFAs, such as arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid [48, 49]. Additionally, it has been reported that   β -carotene-containing food and herbal food show an adjuvant effect for IFN-based antiviral therapy [50, 51]. Accordingly, these nutrients are expected to be used as adjuvants in antiviral therapy for patients with HCV infection.…”