Lycopene

Category: vitamin

Pharmacological Mechanism

Acyclic carotenoid — primary red pigment of tomatoes; absorption increases with cooking + fat. Strong singlet-oxygen quencher. Epidemiologic association with reduced prostate cancer; randomized trial evidence modest.

Half-Life (t½)

PO: 36h

Dosing Guidelines

• PO: Typical 15 mg (Range: 5–30 mg)

Target Organ Systems

• reproductive
• integumentary

Pathways It Modulates

• Vitamin antioxidant axis (activator) — singlet oxygen quencher (most potent natural)

Chemical Identifiers

• PubChem CID: 446925
• Formula: C40H56
• Molecular weight: 536.87 g/mol
• InChIKey: OAIJSZIZWZSQBC-GYZMGTAESA-N
• SMILES: CC(=CCC/C(=C/C=C/C(=C/C=C/C(=C/C=C/C=C(/C=C/C=C(/C=C/C=C(/CCC=C(C)C)\C)\C)\C)/C)/C)/C)C

References

• PMID 15159319