# Tomatine **Canonical URL:** https://ingredients.hermeticasuperfoods.com/ingredients/tomatine **Data Source:** Hermetica Superfoods Ingredient Encyclopedia **Updated:** 2026-03-19 **Evidence Score:** 4 / 10 **Category:** Compound **Also Known As:** α-tomatine, alpha-tomatine, lycoperoside A, tomatidine 3-O-β-lycotetraose, solanine analog, tomato glycoalkaloid ## Overview Tomatine is a steroidal glycoalkaloid saponin found primarily in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum), concentrated in leaves, stems, and unripe fruit. Preliminary computational studies suggest it may inhibit cancer-related proteins including CDK2 and BRAF through hydrophobic binding interactions, though no human clinical trials have confirmed these effects. ## Health Benefits • Potential cancer inhibition through protein binding (preliminary in silico evidence only - CDK2, BRAF, VEGFA, JAK1, SMO proteins) • May affect cancer-related signaling cascades (preliminary computational docking studies only) • Possible anti-proliferative effects via hydrophobic protein interactions (in silico modeling only) • Natural plant defense compound properties (no human evidence) • Potential phytosteroid activity through tomatidine aglycone (theoretical based on structure) ## Mechanism of Action Tomatine is proposed to exert anti-proliferative effects by binding hydrophobically to cell cycle and signaling proteins, including cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), the oncogenic kinase BRAF, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), Janus kinase 1 (JAK1), and Smoothened (SMO) — all key nodes in cancer-related cascades. As a saponin, tomatine also complexes with membrane cholesterol, disrupting lipid bilayer integrity and potentially altering transmembrane signaling. These proposed mechanisms derive exclusively from in silico molecular docking simulations and have not been validated in cell, animal, or human studies. ## Clinical Summary No human clinical trials have been conducted on tomatine as an isolated supplement. Available evidence consists entirely of computational (in silico) molecular docking studies that model binding affinity to cancer-associated proteins, offering hypothesis-generating but non-confirmatory data. A small number of in vitro and rodent studies have examined crude tomato alkaloid fractions, but these do not isolate tomatine's individual contribution or establish pharmacokinetically relevant dosing. The overall evidence base is preclinical and preliminary; any therapeutic claims would be premature and unsupported by current research standards. ## Nutritional Profile Tomatine is a steroidal glycoalkaloid compound, not a macronutrient or micronutrient contributor in nutritional terms. Molecular formula: C50H83NO21, molecular weight approximately 1034.2 g/mol. It is not a source of calories, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, or minerals in any meaningful dietary quantity. Found naturally in green/unripe tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) at concentrations of approximately 100-500 mg/kg fresh weight, dropping dramatically to <5 mg/kg in fully ripe red tomatoes as it converts to tomatidine and other metabolites during ripening. Tomatine consists of the aglycone tomatidine bound to a tetrasaccharide unit (lycotetraose: two glucose, one galactose, one xylose residue). Bioavailability is notably low in humans due to poor intestinal absorption; it is largely hydrolyzed by gut microbiota or passes unabsorbed. It forms complexes with membrane cholesterol (3-beta-hydroxysterols), which underlies both its biological activity and limited systemic bioavailability. Tomatine is present in tomato leaves and stems at higher concentrations (2,000-5,000 mg/kg dry weight) than in fruit. As an isolated compound supplement or food ingredient, it contributes negligible macronutrient or micronutrient value; its relevance is entirely as a bioactive phytochemical with pharmacological rather than nutritional properties. ## Dosage & Preparation No clinically studied dosage ranges are available as no human trials have been conducted. Analytical standards use ≥90% purity α-tomatine or ≥99% tomatidine for research purposes only. Consult a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement. ## Safety & Drug Interactions Tomatine is present in very low concentrations in ripe tomatoes and is generally considered safe at dietary exposure levels, but isolated or supplemental doses lack established safety profiles in humans. High doses in animal models have demonstrated gastrointestinal toxicity, hemolytic activity consistent with saponin membrane disruption, and potential hepatotoxicity. No formal drug interaction studies exist, but theoretical concern exists for interactions with cholesterol-lowering medications due to tomatine's cholesterol-complexing properties. Tomatine supplementation is not recommended during pregnancy or lactation given the complete absence of safety data in these populations. ## Scientific Research No human clinical trials, RCTs, or meta-analyses on tomatine were identified in the available research. Current evidence is limited to extraction methodology studies, in vitro/in silico cancer inhibition modeling through protein docking simulations, and plant content analysis, with no PubMed PMIDs for human studies provided. ## Historical & Cultural Context No historical or traditional medicinal uses of tomatine are documented in the available research. It is primarily studied as a plant defense metabolite in modern analytical contexts. ## Synergistic Combinations Other glycoalkaloids, phytosterols, lycopene, vitamin C, quercetin ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is tomatine and where does it come from? Tomatine is a steroidal glycoalkaloid saponin biosynthesized by tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum), found in highest concentrations in leaves, stems, flowers, and unripe green fruit. As the fruit ripens, tomatine levels drop dramatically — a fully ripe tomato contains less than 5 mg/kg, while green tomatoes can contain up to 500 mg/kg. It consists of the aglycone tomatidine bound to a tetrasaccharide sugar chain. ### Can tomatine fight cancer? Current evidence for tomatine's anti-cancer potential is limited exclusively to in silico molecular docking studies, which computationally predict binding to proteins like CDK2, BRAF, VEGFA, JAK1, and SMO involved in tumor growth and angiogenesis. These computational predictions have not been confirmed in cell culture, animal models, or human clinical trials, meaning no causal anti-cancer effect has been established. Ripe tomato consumption is associated with health benefits in epidemiological research, but this is attributed primarily to lycopene, not tomatine. ### Is tomatine safe to take as a supplement? Tomatine has no established safe supplemental dose in humans, and no regulated supplement products containing isolated tomatine have undergone formal clinical safety evaluation. In animal studies, high oral doses produced gastrointestinal irritation and hemolytic effects due to tomatine's ability to complex with membrane cholesterol and disrupt cell membranes. Dietary intake from ripe tomatoes is negligible and poses no known risk, but supplemental concentrations should be approached with caution until human safety data are available. ### What proteins does tomatine bind to? In silico docking studies have modeled tomatine binding to five cancer-relevant proteins: CDK2 (cyclin-dependent kinase 2, a cell cycle regulator), BRAF (a serine/threonine kinase mutated in many melanomas), VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor A, key in tumor angiogenesis), JAK1 (Janus kinase 1, involved in cytokine signaling), and SMO (Smoothened, part of the Hedgehog signaling pathway). The proposed binding mechanism involves hydrophobic interactions within the active sites of these proteins. These are computational predictions only and require wet-lab validation. ### How is tomatine different from tomatidine? Tomatine is the intact glycoalkaloid, consisting of the steroidal alkaloid aglycone tomatidine attached to a four-sugar chain (lycotetraose) composed of glucose, galactose, and two xylose units. Tomatidine is the aglycone form produced when intestinal or microbial enzymes cleave the sugar chain from tomatine during digestion. Tomatidine has been separately studied for potential antimicrobial and muscle metabolism effects, and the two compounds may have distinct bioactivities and bioavailability profiles. ### What foods naturally contain tomatine and how much would I need to eat to get therapeutic amounts? Tomatine is found naturally in tomatoes, particularly in green and unripe varieties, with concentrations ranging from 2.7 to 32 mg per 100g depending on cultivar and ripeness. To obtain the doses studied in preliminary research (typically 10-100 mg in cell culture models), you would need to consume large quantities of green tomatoes or tomato plant material, which is neither practical nor recommended since tomatine levels decrease significantly as tomatoes ripen. This gap between natural food sources and research dosages is why tomatine supplementation in isolated form has been explored, though human efficacy data remains unavailable. ### How strong is the current scientific evidence supporting tomatine's health benefits? Current evidence for tomatine is limited to in silico (computer modeling) and in vitro (cell culture) studies, with no published human clinical trials demonstrating safety or efficacy for any health condition. While computational docking studies suggest tomatine may interact with cancer-related proteins like CDK2 and BRAF, these preliminary findings cannot predict real-world results in living organisms. Any claims about tomatine's therapeutic benefits are significantly ahead of the actual research evidence, and more rigorous preclinical and clinical studies are needed before drawing reliable conclusions. ### Are there specific populations who should avoid tomatine supplements due to safety concerns? Pregnant and nursing women should avoid tomatine supplements due to lack of safety data and its classification as a plant alkaloid with potential reproductive effects, though specific risks have not been formally studied in humans. Individuals with inflammatory bowel conditions or increased intestinal permeability should exercise caution, as some alkaloids may affect gut barrier function, though this has not been specifically documented for tomatine. People taking immunosuppressant medications should consult a healthcare provider, as tomatine's potential immune-modulating properties could theoretically interfere with medication efficacy, though this interaction has not been clinically validated. --- *Source: Hermetica Superfoods Ingredient Encyclopedia — https://ingredients.hermeticasuperfoods.com* *License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — Attribution required. Commercial use: admin@hermeticasuperfoods.com*