Improving Whole Tomato Transformation for Prostate Health: Benign Prostate Hypertrophy as an Exploratory Model

Abstract

It is well-established that the beneficial properties of single phytonutrients can be better attained when they are taken with the complex of the molecules present in their natural milieu. Tomato, the fruit providing the most comprehensive complex of prostate-health-preserving micronutrients, has been shown to be superior to its single-nutrient counterparts in decreasing the incidence of age-related prostate diseases. Herein, we describe a novel tomato food supplement enriched with olive polyphenols, containing cis-lycopene concentrations far exceeding those present in industry-produced tomato commodities. The supplement, endowed with antioxidant activity comparable to that of N-acetylcysteine, significantly reduced, in experimental animals, the blood levels of prostate-cancer-promoting cytokines. In prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies performed on patients affected by benign prostatic hyperplasia, its uptake significantly improved urinary symptoms and quality of life. Therefore, this supplement can complement and, in some cases, be an alternative to current benign prostatic hyperplasia management. Furthermore, the product suppressed carcinogenesis in the TRAMP mouse model of human prostate cancer and interfered with prostate cancer molecular signaling. Thus, it may offer a step forward in exploring the potential of tomato consumption to delay or prevent the onset of age-related prostate diseases in high-risk individuals.

Male reproductive ageing: a radical road to ruin

“…Antioxidants rich in polyphenols and lycopene have demonstrated some effectiveness against benign prostatic hypertrophy ( Natali et al , 2023 ) while several antioxidant preparations have been effective in elevating the circulating levels of testosterone ( Lee et al , 2020 ) and correcting erectile dysfunction ( Meldrum et al , 2012 ). Clearly, we are still in the early stages of such research but the potential of antioxidant therapy in the context of male ageing seems promising.…”

Polysaccharides and Phenolic Compounds Recovered from Red Bell Pepper, Tomato and Basil By-Products Using a Green Extraction by Extractor Timatic®

“…Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the second most important vegetable crop next to potato worldwide, with annual production of 186 million tons fresh fruit produced in 2020 in 144 countries [9][10][11]. Tomato is rich in bioactive and valuable compounds such as carotenoids (mainly lycopene (80-90%) and β-carotene) in addition to vitamin C, vitamin E, and several phenolic compounds [10][11][12]. Tomato wastes were subjected to evaluation as a potential source of phenolic antioxidants and anticancer agents [10,12], identifying and quantifying some individual phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, lycopene, and pigments [9,13].…”