The Role of Lycopene in Chronic Lung Diseases

Abstract

Lycopene, a naturally occurring non-provitamin A carotenoid pigment, is responsible for the red to pink colors in tomato, watermelon, red bell peppers, and pink guava. There are many health benefits attributed to lycopene including but not limited to its antioxidant activity. According to the American Lung Association’s State of Lung Cancer, lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Other chronic lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are high prevalence. This chapter summarizes lycopene’s protective role against lung diseases in both in vitro and in vivo studies. While it has been demonstrated that circulating lycopene can be used as a biomarker for several lung diseases, further studies are warranted to establish that. We aim to provide insights into how lycopene can remedy for lung diseases, including lung cancer.