Protective Potentials of Tomatoes Puree on Inflammation and Neurological Damages Caused by Calcium Carbide Intakes in Rats

Abstract

Calcium carbide (CaC₂) accelerates fruit ripening but has several adverse effects on the fruit. These include making the fruit tasteless, unhealthy, and potentially toxic, leading to health challenges. This study aimed to investigate the nephroprotective and antioxidative effects of tomato puree on albino rats fed calcium-carbide-ripened bananas. Seventy-two albino rats were randomly assigned to six experimental groups, each consisting of twelve rats. The normal control (NOC) group received a standard diet, while the ripened banana control (RBC) group received 120 g/kg of CaC₂-ripened bananas. The tomato puree control (TPC) group received 400 g/kg of tomato puree, and the vitamin C control (VCC) group was given 100 mg/kg of vitamin C. The treatment groups (RBT & RBV) received CaC₂-ripened bananas along with tomato puree and vitamin C, respectively. All treatments were administered via oral intubation once daily for six weeks. Blood samples were collected at the 3rd and 6th weeks for biochemical analysis. Rats fed with CaC₂-ripened bananas exhibited an increase in DOPA levels and a decrease in serotonin levels. Additionally, there was an increase in the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, indicating neurological impairment. However, administration of tomato puree significantly restored these neurological parameters toward normal levels and resulted in a noticeable reduction in inflammation. This suggests that tomato puree remarkably prevents CaC₂-induced tissue injury and damage. The findings demonstrate that tomato puree has a protective effect against CaC₂-induced inflammation and neurological damage by maintaining the activity of the antioxidant defense system and preserving renal architecture, which may be attributed to its bioactive constituents.