Tomatoes could hold the key to a new treatment for a painful condition of the womb that affects around two million women, a study has found.
Lycopene, the chemical in tomatoes that produces a red colour, has been found to help prevent scarring associated with endometriosis.
The study at the Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan found that when cells taken from the internal scar tissue were exposed to lycopene in the laboratory they reacted positively.
Lycopene has been found to prevent adhesions, where scar tissue builds up in thin films or thick lumps and can cause internal organs to stick together after surgery or due to certain diseases like endometriosis, which can lead to fertility problems.
The disease occurs when cells that usually line the womb are found elsewhere in the body.
Dr Tarek Dbouk, from the university, said lycopene could become a safe and cheap treatment in these conditions. He said: “It is certainly possible that you could get the amount [of lycopene] you need from your diet.”
In a laboratory study, presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference in San Francisco, the nutrient was found to cut the presence of proteins that cause tissue to form by between 80 and 90 per cent.
Meanwhile, another study carried out by a team at McGill University in Montreal presented at the ASRM meeting found that washing sperm in a lycopene solution during IVF treatment appeared to protect it from deterioration.
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