Water-soluble tomato concentrate alleviates neuron apoptosis though activating ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway in ischemic stroke.
Zhou L, Yu M, Zhang Y, Sun X, Luo Y
Plant Signaling
Tomatoes growing in your backyard or on your windowsill contain compounds that scientists are now linking to brain protection — a reminder that everyday garden plants can hold powerful, medicine-like benefits.
Scientists took a concentrated extract made from tomatoes — already approved in Europe to support heart health — and tested whether it could protect the brain during a stroke. In experiments with rats and with brain cells in the lab, the tomato extract reduced brain damage, improved blood flow, and helped with recovery. It works by switching on natural pathways inside nerve cells that help them survive stress and damage.
Key Findings
WSTC reduced infarct (dead brain tissue) volume and improved cerebral blood perfusion in a rat stroke model
The extract inhibited oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis (programmed cell death) in both animal and cell-based models
Mechanistic analysis using transcriptomics and network pharmacology identified the ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway as the key protective mechanism activated by WSTC
chevron_right Technical Summary
A concentrated extract from tomatoes was shown to protect brain cells and reduce stroke damage in rat models, working through natural cellular survival pathways. This is the first comprehensive evidence that this tomato-derived ingredient offers multi-target brain protection.
Abstract Preview
Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide, and there is an urgent need for safe dietary agents with neuroprotective potential. Water-soluble tomato concentrate (WSTC)...
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The tomato is a plant whose fruit is an edible berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originated from western South America, and may have been domesticated there, in Mexico, or in Central America. Th...