ABSTRACT
Reactive oxygen species (e.g., superoxide and hydroxyl radicals) and reactive nitrogen species (e.g., peroxynitrite and nitric oxide) generated during oxidative/nitrosative stress have been implicated in the initiation and/or progression of various ailments including chronic inflammation and cancer, and cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Peroxynitrite, formed from the near diffusion-limited reaction of superoxide and nitric oxide, has gained much attention in recent years for its now recognized role in the pathophysiology of various conditions. Upon formation at, for example, sites of infection or inflammation, it initiates oxidative or nitrosative reactions with various cellular biomolecules such as proteins, lipids and nucleic acids potentially leading to toxicity. Early and on-going epidemiological studies suggest that lycopene and tomato products could reduce the risk of development of ailments associated with oxidative stress. A multitude of effects or mechanisms of lycopene in the prevention of disease is unfolding. Some of these mechanisms are associated with its antioxidant capacity, such as scavenging of peroxynitrite itself, as well as other reactive nitrogen species (e.g., nitrogen dioxide). Other protective mechanisms of lycopene include antiproliferative and prodifferentiation activities and modulation of various mediators of inflammation and the immune function.
