Lycopene in the Prevention of Gastrointestinal Toxicity of Radiotherapy

Abstract

We conducted a study to investigate if lycopene could reduce gastrointestinal toxicity of abdominal and pelvic radiation in Wistar albino rats. Animals received either a control diet (Group 1), lycopene-supplemented diet (Group 2), control diet and radiation (Group 3), and lycopene-supplemented diet plus radiation (Group 4). In Groups 2 and 4, the rats received 5 mg/kg/day lycopene for 10 days. In Groups 3 and 4, the rats received single fraction 8 Gy abdominal and pelvic radiation (RT) on Day 10. Study endpoints included weight loss, diarrhea, duration of diarrhea, survival, and an oxidative stress marker, plasma level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). The rats receiving RT only had significantly higher weight loss rate compared to the lycopene plus RT group (P = 0.001). Plasma TBARS levels after RT were also significantly higher in the RT only group compared to lycopene plus RT group (P = 0.001). In conclusion, lycopene supplementation significantly reduced the weight loss and prevented oxidative stress in rats treated with abdominopelvic radiation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to thank Ozkan Yurteri for providing the lycopene sample for the study. This study was approved by the animal committee. All authors contributed to the study and/or manuscript. There is no potential or actual conflict of interest pertaining to this submission.

Notes

^a Abbreviations are as follows: L, lycopene; RT, radiotherapy. Days that blood samples taken are shown in squares.

^a Abbreviations are as follows: L, lycopene; RT, radiotherapy.

^a Abbreviations are as follows: TBARS, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance; L, lycopene; RT, radiotherapy.