Radical Scavenging Activities and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Tomato Extracts

This study compares the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of acetone extracts obtained from commercially available tomatoes (gangwon chal, wansuk, cherry, daechu cherry, plum, and campari). Campari and cherry tomatoes had the highest levels of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, as well as cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), followed sequentially by gangwon chal, daechu cherry, plum and wansuk varieties. Highest peroxynitrite scavenging activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and total phenolic contents were obtained in campari tomatoes, followed by cherry, gangwon chal, daechu cherry, plum and wansuk varieties. Lycopene contents were highest in cherry tomato, followed by daechu cherry and campari, and were lowest in the gangwon chal, plum and wansuk varieties. Maximum inhibition of the lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells was observed in campari tomatoes, followed by cherry, daechu cherry, gangwon chal, plum and wansuk varieties. Antioxidant activities, including hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite scavenging, ORAC, and CUPRAC, showed a high correlation with the total phenolic or lycopene contents. Anti-inflammatory capacity was highly correlated with antioxidant activities, total phenolic, and lycopene contents. Taken together, findings of the current study demonstrate that campari and cherry tomatoes have the most potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which are closely related to the lycopene as well as polyphenolic contents.