[Lycopene--occurrence, properties and applications].

Natural products from plants, fungi and higher animals are valuable sources of attractive alternatives for therapeutics. One of them, lycopene is a bright red carotene found in several fruits and vegetables. Tomato, tomato-based sauces and juices are the most abundant sources of this compound for human. There is a positive correlation between lycopene intake and health. It plays an important role in preventing several diseases, inclusing cancers. Lycopene is the most efficient oxygen and free radicals scavenger. Moreover it controls cell cycle and activates phase II detoxification enzymes. Epidemiological studies confirm its significant role in preventing diseases. Constant progress on this field makes lycopene an interesting object of researches.