Antioxidant profiles of Corbara small tomatoes during ripening and effects of aqueous extracts on J774 cell antioxidant enzymes

The influence of ripening on the antioxidant profile of Corbara small tomatoes was studied in fruit at five different ripening stages. An increase in the content of both carotenoids and flavonoids was observed during ripening. At the "deep red" stage (StIV) fruit had an average carotenoid content 58% higher than that of the "ripe" stage (StIII) which is the usual harvest time for markets. Carotenoid concentrations parallel the value of lipophilic antioxidant activity while the aqueous/methanol antioxidant activity was not correlated with total flavonoid content. The effect of antioxidants extracted from stage IV tomato was assayed on an oxidative-stressed culture of macrophages by measuring the activity of the antioxidant enzymes. An aqueous extract containing the pool of hydrophilic antioxidants was prepared. The antioxidant effects of this pool were compared with the same effect produced by a mixture of standard compounds constituted by the main tomato hydrophilic antioxidants. Results demonstrate that the efficacy of Corbarino aqueous extract on this cell system is higher than that of reconstituted mixture.