The effects of Lycopene on gastric neoplasms

Gastric carcinoma is one of the most common tumors in the world. Its incidence has been decreasing with changes in nutrition. Today it is known that the antioxidants are preventive agents against cancer. Lycopene is one of these antioxidants. Aim of the study is to research preventive effect of lycopene in gastric carcinogenesis.Benzopyrene (BP) and lycopene were administered to rats via gastric gavage. Groups each of which consisted of ten rats were determined in order of control, BP, lycopene control and BP+lycopene. At the end of 45-week-period the study was completed. Decapitating the rats, blood and tissue samples obtained were examined biochemically and histopathologically.When BP group was compared with control group, it was found that plasma and tissue levels (pMDA, tMDA) of malondialdehyde (MDA) had increased (p<0,001), and the tissue levels of the antioxidants, GSH-Px, SOD and catalase had decreased (p>0.05) in BP group. It was found that in the BP+lycopene group, compared with BP group, pMDA and tMDA levels had decreased (p<0,05), in the tissue GSH-Px, SOD and catalase levels had increased (p>0,05). Histopathologically, when BP group was compared with control group, in the BP group microinvasion in forestomach, high grade dysplasia in glandular stomach (p<0,001), epithelial hyperplasia and papillary projections (p<0,05) in forestomach, and also low grade dysplasia (p>0,05) in glandular stomach were found. It was found when BP group compared with BP+lycopene group, in BP group microinvasion in forestomach and high grade dysplasia in glandular stomach had decreased (p<0,001).Consequently, our study suggests that lycopene has protective effect on biochemical and histopathological level against damage caused by BP during gastric carcinogenesis.Key words: Gastric neoplasms, benzopyrene, lycopene.