Tomatoes may help prevent vascular disease

KYOTO, Japan, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- The compound, 9-oxo-octadecadienoic -- found in tomatoes -- may help prevent vascular diseases, researchers in Japan say.

Dr. Teruo Kawada of Kyoto University, the study leader, said dyslipidemia is a condition caused by an abnormal amount of lipids, such as cholesterol or fat, in the blood stream.

"Dyslipidemia itself usually causes no symptoms, however; it can lead to symptomatic vascular diseases, such as arteriosclerosis and cirrhosis," Kawada said in a statement. "In order to prevent these diseases it is important to prevent an increased build up of lipids."

The compound 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid was found to enhance fatty acid oxidation and contributed to the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism.

The findings published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research suggest that 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid has anti-dyslipidemia affects and can therefore help prevent vascular diseases.

"Finding a compound which helps the prevention of obesity-related chronic diseases in foodstuffs is a great advantage to tackling these diseases," Kawada concluded. "It means that the tomato allows people to easily manage the onset of dyslipidemia through their daily diet."