Antimicrobial properties of tomato leaves, stems, and fruit and their relationship to chemical composition.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that the tomato glycoalkaloid tomatine inhibited the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis strain G3, Tritrichomonas foetus strain D1, and Tritrichomonas foetus-like strain C1 that cause disease in humans and farm and domesticated animals. The increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance requires development of new tools to enhance or replace medicinal antibiotics. METHODS: Wild tomato plants were harvested and divided into leaves, stems, and fruit of different colors: green, yellow, and red. Samples were freeze dried and ground with a handheld mill. The resulting powders were evaluated for their potential anti-microbial effects on protozoan parasites, bacteria, and fungi. A concentration of 0.02% (w/v) was used for the inhibition of protozoan parasites. A high concentration of 10% (w/v) solution was tested for bacteria and fungi as an initial screen to evaluate potential anti-microbial activity and results using this high concentration limits its clinical relevance. RESULTS: Natural powders derived from various parts of tomato plants were all effective in inhibiting the growth of the three trichomonads to varying degrees. Test samples from leaves, stems, and immature 'green' tomato peels and fruit, all containing tomatine, were more effective as an inhibitor of the D1 strain than those prepared from yellow and red tomato peels which lack tomatine. Chlorogenic acid and quercetin glycosides were present in all parts of the plant and fruit, while caffeic acid was only found in the fruit peels. Any correlation between plant components and inhibition of the G3 and C1 strains was not apparent, although all the powders were variably effective. Tomato leaf was the most effective powder in all strains, and was also the highest in tomatine. S. enterica showed a minor susceptibility while B. cereus and C. albicans fungi both showed a significant growth inhibition with some of the test powders. The powders inhibited growth of the pathogens without affecting beneficial lactobacilli found in the normal flora of the vagina. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that powders prepared from tomato leaves, stems, and green tomato peels and to a lesser extent from peels from yellow and red tomatoes offer potential multiple health benefits against infections caused by pathogenic protozoa, bacteria, and fungi, without affecting beneficial lactobacilli that also reside in the normal flora of the vagina.

Anti-Parasitic Activity of Cherry Tomato Peel Powders.

Trichomoniasis in humans, caused by the protozoal parasite Trichomonas vaginalis, is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease, while Tritrichomonas foetus causes trichomonosis, an infection of the gastrointestinal tract and diarrhea in farm animals and domesticated cats. As part of an effort to determine the inhibitory effects of plant-based extracts and pure compounds, seven commercially available cherry tomato varieties were hand-peeled, freeze-dried, and pounded into powders. The anti-trichomonad inhibitory activities of these peel powders at 0.02% concentration determined using an in vitro cell assay varied widely from 0.0% to 66.7% against T. vaginalis G3 (human); from 0.9% to 66.8% for T. foetus C1 (feline); and from 0.0% to 81.3% for T. foetus D1 (bovine). The organic Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (D) peels were the most active against all three trichomonads, inhibiting 52.2% (G3), 66.8% (C1), and 81.3% (D1). Additional assays showed that none of the powders inhibited the growth of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, pathogenic fungi, or non-pathogenic lactobacilli. Tomato peel and pomace powders with high content of described biologically active compounds could serve as functional food and feed additives that might help overcome adverse effects of wide-ranging diseases and complement the treatment of parasites with the anti-trichomonad drug metronidazole.

EWS-ATF1 fusion transcripts in gastrointestinal tumors previously diagnosed as malignant melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Clear cell sarcoma (CCS) is classically a deep soft tissue tumor associated with tendons or aponeuroses, although cases of primary CCS of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract have recently been reported. Because it is difficult to distinguish CCS from metastatic melanoma based on morphology, immunohistochemical profile, and ultrastructural features, it is possible that some GI tumors diagnosed as metastatic melanoma actually represent primary GI CCS. Because the EWS-ATF1 fusion transcript and the associated t(12;22)(q13;q12) translocation occur in CCS but not cutaneous melanoma, we investigated the use of molecular-based testing for discriminating CCS from metastatic melanoma (MM) in GI tumors. METHODS: Patients with GI tumors diagnosed as MM were identified from departmental files. The tumors were tested for the EWS-ATF1 fusion transcript by RT-PCR and for t(12;22)(q13;q12) by fluorescence in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Detailed review of medical records revealed that 16 (80%) of the 20 had a documented history of cutaneous melanoma. Two cases (10%) harbored the EWS-ATF1 fusion transcript, and fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed the presence of t(12;22) in both cases. Of the 2 positive tumors, 1 developed in a patient who had no history of cutaneous melanoma, and the other developed in a patient with a remote history of vulvar melanoma. CONCLUSION: Based on molecular genetic findings, a subset of GI tumors diagnosed as MM by routine histopathologic evaluation represents CCS.