Tomato-based functional food as interferon adjuvant

Goals: The authors conducted a study to verify whether supplementation with an antioxidant-rich tomato-based functional food reduces anemia during pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C. Background: Oxidative stress plays a major role in the physiopathology of hemolytic anemia during ribavirin therapy. The efficacy of antioxidant supplementation with vitamins C and E as pure compounds, is still controversial. Methods: A functional food with a high content of natural antioxidants and with high carotenoid bioavailability was developed. The authors enrolled 92 patients with chronic hepatitis C, treated with standard combination therapy. Forty-six ofthem received a daily dose (100 g) of functional food (group 1), and 46 did not (group 2). The effect of antioxidant activity was assessed comparing compliance with the full dose of ribavirin and hemoglobin levels during the first 3 months of treatment. Results: Only 8.7% of patients in group I had to reduce their daily ribavirin dose, whereas ribavirin reduction was necessary for 30.4% of patients in group 2 (P = 0.09). Hemoglobin levels showed significant differences at 15, 30, and 90 days during the observation time. Conclusion: Results demonstrated that the authors' functional food reduces the severity of ribavirin-related anemia and improves the tolerance to the full dose of ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C.



http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=15926688

[WriteItDown]

Wow, thanks, this is really interesting.  I wish they'd give the recipe!

[Rockerforlife]

Eat tomatoes and soy

[Rockerforlife]

Functional Foods” are foods or dietary components that may provide a health benefit beyond basic nutrition. You can take greater control of your health through the food choices you make, knowing that some foods can provide specific health benefits. Examples can include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fortified or enhanced foods and beverages, and some dietary supplements.

http://www.ific.org/nutrition/functional/index.cfm

[WriteItDown]

Thanks for that info, Rocker.  I see you share my interest in the dietary component of health care.

In addition I noticed that you have just finished a trial for Bocepivir.  Since my husband is thinking of participating in a trial (I made a post about it, the experimental drug is called TMC435), I would be grateful to hear your opinion, if you care to check it out.  Thanks again!

[WriteItDown]

Oops, I meant "Boceprevir."

[Rockerforlife]

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00866853


THESE GUYS ARE RECUITING

[WriteItDown]

Actually it's this one:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00882908?term=tmc435&rank=2
TMC435 in combo w/ SOC.

They are recruiting and my husband is seriously thinking of participating. Thoughts?

[Rockerforlife]

Looks like they are only using a smaller amout of the PI drug-75-150 mg in all their arms,i really dont know what to say,except that it looks,i would check out the other trials coming up with BOC and TELE first..i wouls also do some more investagating this this

[nygirl7]

and don't forget to eat tomatoes!

I guess the ketchup on my cheeseburgers didn't count though :(
Or the spaghetti sauce on my macaroni :(

;)

[Rockerforlife]

Actually the sauces and the ketcep contain more of the lypcen....apparantly when the red fruit is heated the enzymes are relesaed better


BTW....I FEEL GREAT NOW...its like im high

[Rockerforlife]

I can sneeze now and i dont get dizzy....i wonder how long it takes fro the HMG and the NUTRIPILLS bouce back....id say right awawy by the way i feel

[Rockerforlife]

i got you beat in TX time...i just did 48+ 36 weeks=84 weeks

[evangelin]

If you google    Antioxidant-Enhanced Food Found To Reduce Ribavirin-Induced Anemia +Jules Levin     an article from natap comes up which lists the nutritional facts for the tmato based functional food.  Every time I tried to copy and paste it, the nutritional facts were left out.
My husband has had major anemia and even had to have a tranfusion before reducing riba.  The reduced Ribavirin and 2 shots of procrit per week don't even bring his hemoglobin up to 10. He can't really tolerate lots of tomato sauce because of all the acid.  He is taking extra E and C though.  I don't know much about carotenoids because I've always heard vitamin A was bad for liver disease.  

[IMstacie]

Wow, I've been craving tomato based foods!  It's actually all I want to eat and the only dishes that taste good to me.  Maybe it my body telling me something - my nutrophils are around 500.

[Rockerforlife]

There are tomato extracts

[choprchk]

Very coincidental!  I was craving tomatoes this past week and also bought soy nuts which I hadn't eaten in years.  I became anemic around July 1st.  AND I havn't read the article you refer to....I swear, our bodies are sooooo amazing.....can't say much for my brain (hahaha) but the body seems to know what it needs!!!!  Thanks Rocker!

[WriteItDown]

Hey, just wanted to let you know I wrote to the guy who authored this study and he gave me the recipe, which I plan to feed to my husband.  He said to use a triple-concentrate tomato paste (Italian), and dilute it with 10% of a high-polyphenol olive oil (usually somewhat astringent-tasting, often made with Tuscan olives.)  He said 100 grams per day of the stuff.  What the heck, I'm going to give it a try.

[evangelin]

Oh my gosh.  Thank you so much for this.  It always drives me crazy when I read this stuff that has the chance of helping but there isn't enough information to implement it . My husband has already had to have one transfusion.  I will probably have to give him prilosec before he tries this.  It sounds pretty potent and a little nauseating but worth trying for sure. Do they have triple concentrated tomato paste at the grocery store?
Thanks again for sharing this,
Ev

[WriteItDown]

I am so sorry your husband had to have a transfusion!  I do hope this might help some -- I know what you mean about the info being hard to implement.  I admit I felt a bit pushy, writing this guy (Vincenzo Fogliano) in Italy out of the blue, but he was extremely nice, and I'm glad I did.

My plan is to mix the stuff with some homemade tomato sauce that I make with whole tomatoes, so it won't be quite as thick.  Then hopefully my husband won't mind eating it as a soup or a pasta sauce.  Vincenzo also advised mixing it with meat -- I guess you could make a meat sauce with it.  The Italians eat tons of tomato sauce so probably it wasn't a big leap for them, but 100 grams isn't really very much.  I hope my husband will find it palatable.

I have not been able to find triple concentrate yet, though I did find double pretty easily, it's in tubes, not cans. I will use the double if I can't find triple.

Sending good wishes for your husband to feel better.

[Rockerforlife]

Im eating mushroom exracts now that im done TX,im also eating red ginseng and blue green algae extracts,virgin coconut oils and organic whey and eggs....i llok like a body body builder already

[Rockerforlife]

BTW...a good whey boosts the bodys natural interfon

[CoWriter]

The study you quoted is from 2003.  This one from 2007 showed no improvement in hemoglobin.  

Co



Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jul;61(7):906-15.

Development of a tomato-based food for special medical purposes as therapy adjuvant for patients with HCV infection.

Vitaglione P, Fogliano V, Stingo S, Scalfi L, Caporaso N, Morisco F.
Department of Food Science, University of Naples Federico II, Parco Gussone, Portici (NA), Italy.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to develop a food for special medical purposes (FSMP) and to assess its efficacy as adjuvant therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). DESIGN: Open randomized clinical trials with a tomato-based FSMP used as adjuvant treatment to the pharmacological therapy with pegilated interferon and ribavirin. SUBJECTS: Eight healthy volunteers and 39 HCV patients. INTERVENTIONS: For the bioavailability study, healthy subjects consumed 100 g/die FSMP for a week and their serum carotenoid profile at baseline, after the week of administration and 7 days later was determined. The same quantity of FSMP for 6 months by 20 of the 39 HCV patients was consumed in the clinical trial. Serum transaminase, haemoglobin (Hb) and hydroperoxide concentrations during the therapy were monitored in all patients. RESULTS: FSMP consumption caused a fourfold increase of lycopene serum concentration in healthy subjects. A significant increase of carotenoids after 1 month of consumption also in patients with HCV was recorded. Transaminase and HEMOGLOBIN SERUM LEVELS, AS WELL AS THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE, WERE NOT INFLUENCED by FSMP. The decrease in serum hydroperoxides was independent from FSMP consumption in long-term responder patients, whereas nonresponder (NR) patients of FSMP group showed higher reductions than NR patients of Control group. CONCLUSIONS: The FSMP was effective in improving carotenoid status in healthy subjects. In HCV patients, it did not influence the therapeutic response, but it prevented carotenoid serum depletion and it was effective in improving the oxidative status during antiviral therapy in NR patients.

[WriteItDown]

Does this necessarily invalidate the 2003 study?  It seems as if neither study had so many subjects.

[evangelin]

Oh great, I got all excited about nothing.  I'm glad to find this out before I torture Joe with another concoction.  
sad and frustrated,
Ev

[Mary4now]

Tomatoes and soy are 2 of my favorite foods, I can eat tomato paste right out of the can I love it, ketchup,mmmm kind of acidic though.