Tomato juice protects the lungs of smokers
Drinking tomato juice prevents the development of emphysema that occurs with regular inhalation of cigarette smoke, found by Japanese scientists. The findings by researchers from Tokyo University Yuntendo (Juntendo University School of Medicine), were obtained in experiments on mice and will soon be tested on humans . The study published in the February issue of American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology.
As objects of study were taken two lines of mice: normal laboratory mice and mice with altered heredity are genetically programmed to accelerated aging. The latter were selected by scientists as a result of more rapid development of emphysema.
Within eight weeks, the mice were kept in an atmosphere of tobacco smoke. Some mice from both lines during the whole experiment is regularly fed to 50% of tomato juice.
At the end of the experiment, "rapidly aging" mice appeared emphysema - a chronic disease, with loss of elasticity of lung tissue and increase its air. All normal mice were healthy. Also, do not get sick emphysema and those genetically modified mice who regularly consumed 50% of tomato juice.
Emphysema is accompanied by an increase in their size with a simultaneous decrease in the area participating in gas exchange. The most frequent complaint of patients is shortness of breath on exertion, which gradually becomes a constant, and productive cough. In the development of the disease involves many factors, including recurrent infections, air pollution and working conditions associated with the constant inhalation of coal dust or particles of asbestos and silica. The primary cause of emphysema is recognized smoking.
Japanese researchers led Kuniyaki Seyama (Kuniaki Seyama) suggested that the basis for the protective effect of tomato juice is contained therein antioxidant called lycopene.
Antioxidants have a protective effect on the body because of its ability to inhibit the formation of harmful oxygen radicals - molecules, causing damage and cell death. "We assume that lycopene restores the balance between oxidants and antioxidants, broken in our experiment as a result of exposure to tobacco smoke," said Kuniyaki Seyama.
Meanwhile, Richard Beybutt (Richard C. Baybutt) from Kansas State University does not agree with the findings of Japanese scholars, and believes that the main protective factor is beta-carotene, which in large quantities is contained in tomato juice. Beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A deficiency which in itself can lead to the development of emphysema. In addition, benzopyrene, contained in tobacco smoke, can reduce the concentration of vitamin A and substantiates their assumptions American scientist
Drinking tomato juice prevents the development of emphysema that occurs with regular inhalation of cigarette smoke, found by Japanese scientists. The findings by researchers from Tokyo University Yuntendo (Juntendo University School of Medicine), were obtained in experiments on mice and will soon be tested on humans . The study published in the February issue of American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology.
As objects of study were taken two lines of mice: normal laboratory mice and mice with altered heredity are genetically programmed to accelerated aging. The latter were selected by scientists as a result of more rapid development of emphysema.
Within eight weeks, the mice were kept in an atmosphere of tobacco smoke. Some mice from both lines during the whole experiment is regularly fed to 50% of tomato juice.
At the end of the experiment, "rapidly aging" mice appeared emphysema - a chronic disease, with loss of elasticity of lung tissue and increase its air. All normal mice were healthy. Also, do not get sick emphysema and those genetically modified mice who regularly consumed 50% of tomato juice.
Emphysema is accompanied by an increase in their size with a simultaneous decrease in the area participating in gas exchange. The most frequent complaint of patients is shortness of breath on exertion, which gradually becomes a constant, and productive cough. In the development of the disease involves many factors, including recurrent infections, air pollution and working conditions associated with the constant inhalation of coal dust or particles of asbestos and silica. The primary cause of emphysema is recognized smoking.
Japanese researchers led Kuniyaki Seyama (Kuniaki Seyama) suggested that the basis for the protective effect of tomato juice is contained therein antioxidant called lycopene.
Antioxidants have a protective effect on the body because of its ability to inhibit the formation of harmful oxygen radicals - molecules, causing damage and cell death. "We assume that lycopene restores the balance between oxidants and antioxidants, broken in our experiment as a result of exposure to tobacco smoke," said Kuniyaki Seyama.
Meanwhile, Richard Beybutt (Richard C. Baybutt) from Kansas State University does not agree with the findings of Japanese scholars, and believes that the main protective factor is beta-carotene, which in large quantities is contained in tomato juice. Beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A deficiency which in itself can lead to the development of emphysema. In addition, benzopyrene, contained in tobacco smoke, can reduce the concentration of vitamin A and substantiates their assumptions American scientist
