Lycopene Supplementation Attenuates the Inflammatory Status of Colitis in a Rat Model

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of lycopene and beta-carotene on the inflammatory status in a rat model of induced-colitis. Using the 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) model, colitis was induced in thirty-two male Wistar rats divided into four groups. Each group received a different diet regime in parallel with the induction of colitis and was sacrificed after seven days. The groups were divided as follows: Group A: without colitis and fed a normal chow diet; Group B: induced with colitis and fed a diet supplemented with lycopene (300 micrograms/rat/day); Group C: induced with colitis and fed a diet supplemented with beta-carotene (300 micrograms/rat/day); Group D: induced with colitis and fed a normal chow diet. Colonic inflammation following TNBS induction was characterized by hemorrhagic necrosis and fibrosis of the mucosa, increased colonic wall thickness, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Supplementation of lycopene in the diet had a beneficial effect on the various macroscopic parameters examined including: colonic thickness, colon weight, and total area of inflammation. Furthermore, the level of myeloperoxidase (MPO) was significantly lower in the lycopene-treated group compared to the control group. In terms of microscopic changes, a more attenuated inflammatory reaction was observed in the group fed a diet supplemented with lycopene. No significant effect was noted in the beta-carotene-supplemented group. Therefore, we propose that the dietary supplementation of lycopene may be an effective approach for reducing the level of oxidative stress and improving the inflammatory status of colitis.

Dietary lycopene supplementation suppresses Th2 responses and lung eosinophilia in a mouse model of allergic asthma

“…Supporting the results of the present study, lycopene consumption has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties in a rat model of colitis [42]. Also, the administration of lycopene decreased IL-8 and TNF-α secretion as well as increased the phagocytic activity of pulmonary alveolar macrophages in an LPS-induced lung injury model in rats [43].…”

Lycopene suppresses LPS-induced NO and IL-6 production by inhibiting the activation of ERK, p38MAPK, and NF-κB in macrophages

“…Cell culture studies also showed that lycopene has antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects on various cancer cell lines [6,7]. Apart from the antioxidant and anticancer effects, lycopene was found to have anti-inflammatory effects in the airway [8,9], prostate [10], and colon [11,12], which are believed to be related to inhibition of the formation of several proinflammatory molecules such as nitric oxide (NO), interleukins, TNF-a, cyclooxygenase, and NF-jB, depending on the cell types and stimuli [13,14]. While the anti-inflammatory effects of lycopene have been indicated in many studies, the mechanisms underlying these effects and the signal transduction pathway affected by lycopene remain elusive.…”

Lycopene enrichment of cultured airway epithelial cells decreases the inflammation induced by rhinovirus infection and lipopolysaccharide

“…Among them, lycopene, which can be found in high concentrations in tomatoes [27], has the most potent antioxidant potential [28][29][30]. Lycopene has been shown to decrease inflammation in vivo [31][32][33] and in vitro [33,34]. Of particular interest is the ability of lycopene to reduce airway inflammation, including both neutrophil influx and activation [35].…”