Determination of tomatine in foods by liquid chromatography after derivatization

Physiological functions, pharmacological aspects and nutritional importance of green tomato- a future food

Green tomatoes contain significant levels of steroidal glycoalkoids (SGA) such as α-tomatine and green pigment chlorophyll. Tomatine is an admixture of two glycoalkoids; alpha tomatine and dehydrotomatine reported various health beneficial biological activities. Moreover, a hydrolyzed product of tomatine also contributes to age-related atrophy, and muscle weakness and helps the elderly recover from illness and injuries related to age. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the absorption of tomatine in the human body concerning proposed biological activity, which should be an area of interest in the future. Once, the absorption study is established compounds concentrated in green tomatoes are potentially involved as protective compounds for several diseases and also used for functional food. To facilitate the use of green tomatoes in food processing, this comprehensive review provides data on the nutritional value of green tomatoes, with emphasis on the evolution of the physiological chemistry, analytical, medicinal, and pharmacological effects of the α-tomatine and chlorophyll in an experimental model. The broad aim of this review is to evaluate the health benefits of green tomatoes in addition to their nutritional value and to study the several features of the role of α-tomatine and chlorophyll in human health.

Tomatine Content in Host and Transgenic Tomatoes by Absorptiometric Measurement

Tomatine is a steroidal glycoalkaloid in tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum) and other Lycopersicon and Solanum Species. Tomatine is used as an indicator to evaluate the safety of transgenic tomatoes by FDA in U.S.A. We have developed a facile and rapid method for absorptiometric measurement of the tomatine content. This method was used to measure the tomatine content of fruits of a transgenic tomato cultivar (Lycopersicon esculentum) which contained an antisense polygalacturonase gene (anti-PG). We found that the tomatine content in the fruits of transgenic and non-transgenic tomatoes was very similar. The data were also compared with those of other tomato cultivars, "KAGOME 77" (L. esculentum) and "KAGOME 88" (L. esculentum).

Hypolipidemic Effect of Tomato Juice in Hamsters in High Cholesterol Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia

Tomato is a globally famous food and contains several phytonutrients including lycopene, β-carotene, anthocyanin, and flavonoids. The increased temperature used to produce tomato juice, ketchup, tomato paste and canned tomato enhances the bioactive composition. We aimed to verify the beneficial effects of processed tomato juice from Kagome Ltd. (KOT) on hypolipidemic action in hamsters with hyperlipidemia induced by a 0.2% cholesterol and 10% lard diet (i.e., high-cholesterol diet (HCD)). Male Golden Syrian hamsters were randomly divided into two groups for treatment: normal (n = 8), standard diet (control); and experimental (n = 32), HCD. The 32 hamsters were further divided into four groups (n = 8 per group) to receive vehicle or KOT by oral gavage at 2787, 5573, or 13,934 mg/kg/day for six weeks, designated the HCD-1X, -2X and -5X groups, respectively. The efficacy and safety of KOT supplementation was evaluated by lipid profiles of serum, liver and feces and by clinical biochemistry and histopathology. HCD significantly increased serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, hepatic and fetal TC and TG levels, and degree of fatty liver as compared with controls. KOT supplementation dose-dependently decreased serum TC, TG, LDL-C levels, LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, hepatic TC and TG levels, and fecal TG level. Our study provides experiment-based evidence to support that KOT may be useful in treating or preventing the onset of hyperlipidemia.

Bioactivities of glycoalkaloids and their aglycones from Solanum species

Potatoes, tomatoes, and aubergines are all species of the Solanum genus and contain a vast array of secondary metabolites including calystegine alkaloids, phenolic compounds, lectins, and glycoalkaloids. Glycoalkaloids have been the subject of many literature papers, occur widely in the human diet, and are known to induce toxicity. Therefore, from a food safety perspective further information is required regarding their analysis, toxicity, and bioavailability. This is especially important in crop cultivars derived from wild species to prevent glycoalkaloid-induced toxicity. A comprehensive review of the bioactivity of glycoalkaloids and their aglycones of the Solanum species, particularly focused on comparison of their bioactivities including their anticancer, anticholesterol, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, and antipyretic effects, toxicity, and synergism of action of the principal Solanum glycoalkaloids, correlated to differences of their individual molecular structures is presented.

Analysis of biologically active compounds in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), and jimson weed (Datura stramonium) seeds

Potatoes and tomatoes, members of the Solanaceae plant family, serve as major, inexpensive low-fat food sources providing for energy, high-quality protein, fiber, vitamins, pigments, as well as other nutrients. These crops also produce biologically active secondary metabolites, which may have both adverse and beneficial effects in the diet. This limited overview, based largely on our studies with the aid of HPLC, TLC, ELISA, GC-MS, and UV spectroscopy, covers analytical aspects of two major potato trisaccharide glycoalkaloids, alpha-chaconine and alpha-solanine, and their hydrolysis products (metabolites) with two, one, and zero carbohydrate groups; the potato water-soluble nortropane alkaloids calystegine A3 and B2; the principal potato polyphenolic compound chlorogenic acid; potato inhibitors of digestive enzymes; the tomato tetrasaccharide glycoalkaloids dehydrotomatine and alpha-tomatine and hydrolysis products; the tomato pigments beta-carotene, lycopene, and chlorophyll; and the anticholinergic alkaloids atropine and scopolamine present in Datura stramonium (jimson weed) seeds that contaminate grain and animal feed. Related studies by other investigators are also mentioned. Accurate analytical methods for these food ingredients help assure the consumer of eating a good-quality and safe diet.

Tomato glycoalkaloids: role in the plant and in the diet

Tomatoes, a major food source for humans, accumulate a variety of secondary metabolites including phenolic compounds, phytoalexins, protease inhibitors, and glycoalkaloids. These metabolites protect against adverse effects of hosts of predators including fungi, bacteria, viruses, and insects. Because glycoalkaloids are reported to be involved in host-plant resistance, on the one hand, and to have a variety of pharmacological and nutritional properties in animals and humans, on the other, a need exists to develop a better understanding of the role of these compounds both in the plant and in the diet. To contribute to this effort, this integrated review presents data on the history, composition, and nutrition of tomatoes, with special focus on the assessment of the chemistry, analysis, composition, nutrition, microbiology, and pharmacology of the tomato glycoalkaloids comprising alpha-tomatine and dehydrotomatine; their content in different parts of the tomato plant, in processed tomato products, and in wild and transgenic tomatoes; their biosynthesis, inheritance, metabolism, and catabolism; plant-microbe relationships with fungi, bacteria, viruses, insects, and worms; interactions with ergosterol and cholesterol; disruption of cell membranes; tomatine-induced tomatinases, pantothenate synthetase, steroid hydroxylases, and cytokines; and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. Also covered are tomato-human pathogen relationships and tomatine-induced lowering of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides and enhancement of the immune system. Further research needs in each of these areas are suggested. The overlapping aspects are discussed in terms of general concepts for a better understanding of the impact of tomato glycoalkaloids in the plant in general and in food in particular. Such an understanding can lead to the creation of improved tomatoes and to improved practices on the farm and in the consumption of tomatoes.