Dietary Tomato Powder Supplementation in the Prevention of Leiomyoma of the Oviduct in the Japanese Quail

Abstract

Spontaneous leiomyomas of the oviduct are common tumors of the Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), which makes it a good animal model for screening potential agents for testing in the prevention and treatment of human myoma uteri. We have previously reported a decreased incidence of leiomyomas in the oviduct of Japanese quail with lycopene supplementation. Although the major carotenoid in tomatoes is lycopene, tomatoes also contain other compounds, which may contribute to their health benefit. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of tomato powder supplementation on the development of leiomyomas in the oviduct of Japanese quail. We also measured serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), carotenoids, and vitamins C, E, and A. A total of 150 quails (3 mo old) were assigned to 3 treatment groups consisting of 5 replicates of 10 birds in each group. Birds were fed either a basal diet (control group) or the basal diet supplemented with 25 g (Treatment I) or 50 g (Treatment II) of tomato powder (0.8 mg lycopene per g of tomato powder) per kg of diet. The animals were sacrificed after 365 days, and the tumors were identified. Tomato powder supplementation significantly decreased the number of leiomyomas as compared to control birds (P < 0.01). The tumors in tomato powder fed birds were smaller than those found in control birds (P < 0.01). Serum lycopene, lutein, zeaxantin, and vitamins C, E, and A increased (P = 0.01), whereas MDA concentrations decreased (P = 0.01) with tomato powder supplementation. No measurable lycopene could be detected in the serum of control birds, whereas a dose-dependent increase was observed in the serum of birds supplemented with tomato powder. The results indicate that dietary supplementation with tomato powder reduces the incidence and size of spontaneously occurring leiomyoma of the oviduct in the Japanese quail. Clinical trials should be conducted to investigate the efficacy of tomato powder supplementation in the prevention and treatment of uterine leiomyoma in humans.

Intake of fruit, vegetables, and carotenoids in relation to risk of uterine leiomyomata

“…Our null associations for UL risk in relation to carotenoids, including lycopene, agree with previous epidemiologic data on this association (36), but conflict with animal data indicating a protective effect of lycopene supplementation on leiomyoma in the Japanese quail (32,33). However, serum concentrations of vitamin A in the quail increased in response to lycopene supplementation (32,33), which suggests that the protective agent in both animal and human studies might be high serum concentrations of vitamin A as opposed to lycopene itself. It is unclear whether these animal data are relevant to well-nourished human populations in whom dietary vitamin A intake is not as strongly correlated with serum vitamin A concentrations (62)(63)(64), but this hypothesis could be tested directly in future studies.…”

“…Another explanation for this finding is that the absorption and bioavailability of vitamin A from animal sources is greater than that from vegetable or synthetic sources (59)(60)(61). Our null associations for UL risk in relation to carotenoids, including lycopene, agree with previous epidemiologic data on this association (36), but conflict with animal data indicating a protective effect of lycopene supplementation on leiomyoma in the Japanese quail (32,33). However, serum concentrations of vitamin A in the quail increased in response to lycopene supplementation (32,33), which suggests that the protective agent in both animal and human studies might be high serum concentrations of vitamin A as opposed to lycopene itself.…”

“…In Japanese quail, dietary supplementation with lycopene or tomato powder reduced the incidence and size of leiomyoma (32,33). Only a handful of human studies have investigated the association of fruit and vegetable intake with UL risk.…”

Leiomyoma and Nutrition, a Case-Control Study

“…Shahin et al (2007) in a case-control study in Turkey examined using Lycopene compounds and tomato powder in preventing of myoma in Japanese quail; results showed that using more antioxidant compounds such as tomato prevents uterine myoma that was not in agreement with our study. The reason of this contradiction may be the use of human samples instead of quail in our study (16). In a review study on etiology and pathogenesis of uterine myoma done by Gordon Flick et al (2003), consumption of meat, pork and other meat products increased uterine myoma while using antioxidants such as fruits and vegetables decreased it; this was not consistant with our study.…”

“…In a similar study in America in 2008, there was found no relationship between the diet in general, high-fiber diet, soya and leiomyoma but in this study, drinking alcohols increased leiomyoma (15). In another study in 2007, there was a direct relationship between tomato powder and reduced uterine tube myoma in Japanese quail (16). Besides, in a research done in 1997, meat consumption increased the risk of leiomyoma incidence, but vegetable consumption decreased it (17).…”