Tomato, a Potential Yin Food, Protects against Stroke

Jintanaporn Wattanathorn, Wipawee Thukham-mee, Supaporn Muchimapura, Terdthai Tong-Un, Panakaporn Wannanon

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.

DOI: 10.4236/cm.2012.33023                

Abstract

Backgroud: Ischemic stroke is one of the challenge strategies nowadays due to the limitation of therapeutic efficacy. Yin deficiency and oxidative stress have been implicated in the mechanism of brain damage induced by cerebral ischemia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether tomato, a “Yang food” possessing antioxidant, may ameliorate brain damage in focal cerebral ischemia induced by right middle cerebral artery occlusion. Methods: Male rats were orally given tomato pomace (contained total phenolic compound 413.07 ± 34.45 mg of gallic acid equivalent/mg) at doses of 2, 19 and 50 mg/kg at a period of 2 weeks before and 3 weeks after the occlusion of right middle cerebral artery. Then, they were determined the brain ischemic volume and neurological score. Moreover, the markers of oxidative stress including malondialdehyde level and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in hippocampus, striatum and cerebral cortex were also determined. Result: The results showed that tomato pomace could mitigate brain damage and neurological impairment. The neuroprotective mechanism might occur partly via the decreased oxidative stress. Conclusion: Tomato may provide health benefit for those who are risk for stroke. However, further researches are required.

Keywords

Tomato; Lycopersicon Escalentum; Focal Cerebral Ischemia; Brain Damage

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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