Lycopene intake facilitates the increase of bone mineral density in growing female rats

J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2014;60(2):101-7. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.60.101.

Abstract

Intake of the antioxidant lycopene has been reported to decrease oxidative stress and have beneficial effects on bone health. However, few in vivo studies have addressed these beneficial effects in growing female rodents or young women. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lycopene intake on bone metabolism through circulating oxidative stress in growing female rats. Six-week-old Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into 3 groups according to the lycopene content in their diet: 0, 50, and 100 ppm. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and the tibial proximal metaphysis increased with lycopene content in a dose-dependent manner; the BMD in 100 ppm group was significantly higher than in the 0 ppm group. The urine deoxypyridinoline concentrations were significantly lower in the 50 and 100 ppm groups than in the 0 ppm group, and the serum bone-type alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly higher in 100 ppm group than in the 0 ppm group. No difference in systemic oxidative stress level was observed; however, the oxidative stress level inversely correlated with the tibial BMD. Our findings suggested that lycopene intake facilitates bone formation and inhibits bone resorption, leading to an increase of BMD in growing female rats.

MeSH terms

  • Alkaline Phosphatase / blood
  • Amino Acids / urine
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Bone Density / drug effects*
  • Bone Density Conservation Agents / pharmacology
  • Bone Resorption / prevention & control
  • Bone and Bones / drug effects*
  • Bone and Bones / metabolism
  • Carotenoids / pharmacology*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / drug effects
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / metabolism
  • Lycopene
  • Osteogenesis / drug effects
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Solanum lycopersicum / chemistry*
  • Tibia / drug effects
  • Tibia / metabolism

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Antioxidants
  • Bone Density Conservation Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • Carotenoids
  • deoxypyridinoline
  • Alkaline Phosphatase
  • Lycopene