title: Evaluation of heavy metals, cytotoxicity, and antioxidant activity of tomatoes grown in toxic muddy soils.
abstract: This research studies tomatoes grown in polluted soils to ascertain their phytochemical and nutritive features. Pulp and seeds from tomatoes grown in muddy soils were analyzed for their antioxidant power and their toxicity because of the possibility that heavy metals were present in the soils. An antioxidant assay on methanol extracts was made by using DDPH, while an ABTS [2,2'-Azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] assay was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity of lipophilic fractions. Results of the antioxidant assay showed that the tomatoes maintained a high level of antioxidant activity especially in the lipophilic fractions which contain the most representative compounds. Cytotoxic activity was performed on HeLa, PDAC, and A375 cell lines by [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-phenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay. Results showed that neither the seeds, nor the pulp, of the extracts was cytotoxic. The presence of heavy metals was evaluated by using spectroscopy of atomic absorption with a graphite oven. Test results show the absence of heavy metals and these results have an interesting scientific role because they provide useful information for promoting food safety.
authors.affiliation: CNR-National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078, Pozzuoli, NA, Italy, gtommonaro@icb.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tommonaro
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nicolaus
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Prisco
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pergamo
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: Angelamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caporale
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popolo
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saturnino
mesh_terms: D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000737:chemistry; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005506:Food Contamination; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D052160:Benzothiazoles; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; C002502:2,2'-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid