Dietary tomato powder supplementation in the prevention of leiomyoma of the oviduct in the Japanese quail.
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.
Sahin
Kazim
K
Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey.
Ozercan
Resat
R
Onderci
Muhittin
M
Sahin
Nurhan
N
Khachik
Frederick
F
Seren
Soley
S
Kucuk
Omer
O
D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D003370:Coturnix; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D010057:Oviducts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene