Description
Lycopene, a carotenoid found in plant foods, is also a red pigment. It is soluble in chloroform, benzene and grease but not in water. It is unstable to light and oxygen, and turns brown when it meets iron. There is no physiological activity of vitamin A, but it has a strong antioxidant function. The content of ripe red plant fruits is higher, especially in tomatoes, carrots, watermelons, papaya and guava.
Biological effect
Protect the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular
Lycopene can deeply remove vascular waste, regulate plasma cholesterol concentration, protect low-density lipoprotein from oxidation, repair and perfect oxidized cells, promote intercellular glial formation, and enhance blood vessel flexibility. A survey study showed that serum lycopene concentration was negatively correlated with the incidence of cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage. Studies on lycopene's anti-atherosclerosis in rabbits show that lycopene can effectively reduce rabbit serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and its effect is equivalent to fluvastatin sodium. Other studies have shown that lycopene has a protective effect on cerebral ischemia. It mainly inhibits the activity of glial cells through anti-oxidation and scavenging free radicals and reduces the area of cerebral perfusion injury.
