This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lycopene on hypertension, cardiovascular alterations and oxidative stress parameters induced by angiotensin-II.

Wistar rats were infused with angiotensin-II (0.3 mg/kg/day) using osmotic minipumps for 14 days (Ang), half were treated simultaneously with 10 mg/kg/day lycopene (Ang-Lyc). Sham-operated rats were also divided in two groups, a group untreated (Control) and another with lycopene treatment (Control-Lyc).

Angiotensin-II progressively increased the blood pressure and lycopene treatment significantly attenuated the development of hypertension, but had no effect in normotensive rats. Treatment also prevented the cardiovascular remodeling caused by angiotensin-II, but was unable to throw back the relaxation to acetylcholine in aortic rings. Vascular superoxide anion (evaluated in aorta), lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activity (measured in plasma and liver, respectively) impaired by angiotensin-II were improved by lycopene.

In conclusion, our results suggest that pathophysiological effects in this experimental model of hypertension are significantly attenuated by lycopene.

这项研究旨在评估番茄红素对血管紧张素II诱导的高血压，心血管变化和氧化应激参数的影响。

使用渗透性微型泵向Wistar大鼠输注血管紧张素II（0.3 mg / kg /天），持续14天（Ang），一半同时用10 mg / kg / day番茄红素（Ang-Lyc）处理。假手术大鼠也分为两组，一组未经治疗（对照组），另一组经番茄红素治疗（Control-Lyc）。

血管紧张素II逐渐升高血压，番茄红素治疗显着减轻了高血压的发展，但对血压正常的大鼠却没有作用。治疗还预防了由血管紧张素-II引起的心血管重塑，但无法使松弛恢复到主动脉环中的乙酰胆碱。番茄红素可改善血管紧张素-II损害的血管超氧阴离子（在主动脉中评估），脂质过氧化和抗氧化酶活性（分别在血浆和肝脏中测量）。

总之，我们的结果表明，番茄红素可显着减弱这种高血压实验模型的病理生理作用。