title: Reduction of exercise-induced asthma oxidative stress by lycopene, a natural antioxidant.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lycopene has previously been shown to have high antioxidative activity. In view of the controversy regarding the beneficial effect of antioxidants on asthma, the acute effects of lycopene (LYC-O-MATO) on airway hyperreactivity were assessed in patients with exercise-induced asthma (EIA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with EIA participated in our study to verify the antioxidative effects. The test was based on the following sequence: measurement of baseline pulmonary function, 7-min exercise session on a motorized treadmill, 8-min rest and again measurement of pulmonary function, 1-week, oral, randomly administered, double-blind supplementation of placebo or 30 mg/day of lycopene (LYC-O-MATO), measurement of pulmonary function at rest, 7-min exercise session, and 8-min rest and again measurement of pulmonary function. A 4-week washout interval was allowed between each protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients given placebo showed significant postexercise reduction of more than 15% in their forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). After receiving a daily dose of 30 mg of lycopene for 1 week, 11 (55%) patients were significantly protected against EIA. Serum analyses of the patients by high-pressure liquid chromatography detected in the lycopene-supplemented patients an elevated level of lycopene compared to the placebo group, with no change in retinol, tocopherols, or in the other carotenoids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that a daily dose of lycopene exerts a protective effect against EIA in some patients, most probably through an in vivo antioxidative effect.
authors: Department of Allergy, Hasharon Hospital, Golda Medical Center, Petach Tivka and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Neuman
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Nahum
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Ben-Amotz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; C003140:phytofluene; C100185:(all-E) phytoene; D000077276:Lycopene