Lycopene- Importance and Determination

through Double Beam UV-Vis Spectroscopy

Er. Aman PaulEr. Dorcus Masih

Sachin VermaEr. Sajan PalanchokeEr. Priyanka Malik

Dr. Justin Masih

National Conference

on “Chemistry:

Role and Challenges”

Department of

Chemistry,Ewing

Christian College

"Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge. Remedies from chemicals will never stand in favour compared with the products of nature, the living cell of the plant, the final result of the rays of the sun, the mother of all life.”

- Thomas Edison

Introduction

• Lycopene is a bioactive carotenoid found in many red fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, apricots, and pink guava.

• This natural red pigment is synthesized exclusively by plants and microorganisms.

• Structurally, lycopene is an acyclic polyene.

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Introduction (Continued)

• Lycopene from natural plant sources mainly exists in the all trans configuration, which is the most thermodynamically stable form.

• Heat processing of lycopene-containing plant foods induces “cis” isomerisation of lycopene, which has a beneficial effect on the absorption of lycopene.

Tomato products

Raw Tomato

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Dietary Significance

Carotenoids act by three main mechanisms to prevent oxidative damage in the body:

Electron Transfer

Hydrogen Abstraction

Addition of a radical species

Dietary Significance (Continued)

Lycopene

Antioxidants

Pro-oxidants ASense the presence

of scavenger

Converts into leuco

form (antioxidant)

Dietary Significance (Continued)

Functions of lycopene

Gap Junction Communication

Hypocholesteromic Anti-cancerous Anti-atherogenic

Oxidized LDL

Highly Carcinogenic

Lycopene converts it in unoxidized

state

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(200

2) h

as s

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at th

ere

is a

low

er in

cide

nce

of c

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ases

in p

opul

atio

ns w

ith

regu

lar

inta

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of to

mat

o pr

oduc

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atar

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ch in

lyco

pene

.

Estimation of Lycopene

1. Lycopene estimation is done AOAC method (AOAC, 1992).

2. Chemicals and Reagents- Acetone, Petroleum ether and Sodium sulphate.

3. Equipments- Systronics UV-VIS double beam spectrophotometer 2201

5-10 gm sample repeated extracted with acetone until becomes colorless

Acetone extract is transferred to a separating funnel containing 10 to 15 ml petroleum ether

5% sodium sulphate solution is added

Lower acetone phase is repeatedly extracted with petroleum , until becomes colourless

Petroleum ether extract is pooled and its volume is made up to 50 ml with petroleum ether

Diluted an aliquot to 50 ml with petroleum ether

Colour is measured in a 1 cm cell at 503 nm in spectrophotometer

Methodology

Calculation

Where,A = absorbance at 503 nm; D = dilution of extract to 100 ml;W = weight of sample taken. 

Conclusion

• Lycopene is a bioactive carotenoid found in many red fruits and vegetables.

• Structurally, lycopene is an acyclic polyene.• Heat processing of lycopene-containing plant

foods induces “cis” isomerisation of lycopene, which has a beneficial effect on the absorption of lycopene.

• It is an antioxidatant that serves as a magic ingredient in preventing many diseases.

• Lycopene estimation is done by using AOAC method (AOAC, 1992).