{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T22:11:31Z","timestamp":1784585491832,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,8]],"date-time":"2022-02-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1644278400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Identifying and quantifying the beneficial molecules contained in nutraceuticals is essential to predict the effects derived from their consumption. This study explores a cheap and rapid method for quantifying lycopene content from a semi-solid matrix. In addition, it compares the in vitro effects of the extracts obtained from different tomato sauces available on the local market with Osteocol\u00ae, a patented tomato sauce from southern Italy. We performed a liquid extraction of lycopene using suitable solvents. The lycopene extracted was encapsulated in surfactant micelles and finally tested in vitro on Saos-2 cells. The effects exerted by lycopene on ALP and Wnt\/\u03b2-catenin pathways were investigated by Western blotting. Hexane was found to be the best solvent for lycopene extraction. Spectrophotometrical and HPLC analyses showed similar trends. Osteocol\u00ae contained 39 \u00b1 4 mg lycopene per 100 g of sauce, while the best commercial product contained 19 \u00b1 1 mg\/100 g. The Osteocol\u00ae lycopene extract increased ALP and \u03b2-catenin protein expressions in a dose-dependent manner, also showing statistically significant results (p &lt; 0.05 respectively). In conclusion, despite both techniques showing similar final results, UV\/VIS spectrophotometer is preferable to HPLC due to its cheap, rapid, and accurate results, as well as for the opportunity to analyze lycopene-loaded micelles. The extraction and release of lycopene to bone cells positively influences the differentiation of osteoblasts and increases the expression of the ALP and \u03b2-catenin proteins. As a consequence, as a lycopene-rich sauce, Osteocol\u00ae represents a useful supplement in the prevention of osteoporosis compared to its commercial competitors.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu14030717","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,8]],"date-time":"2022-02-08T23:42:20Z","timestamp":1644363740000},"page":"717","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["A Rapid and Cheap Method for Extracting and Quantifying Lycopene Content in Tomato Sauces: Effects of Lycopene Micellar Delivery on Human Osteoblast-Like Cells"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0881-4036","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rosario","family":"Mare","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Samantha","family":"Maurotti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Sciences, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7503-6188","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yvelise","family":"Ferro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Angelo","family":"Galluccio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Franco","family":"Arturi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stefano","family":"Romeo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Center for Cardiovascolar and Metabolic Research, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Procopio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Sciences, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vincenzo","family":"Musolino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRC-FSH\u2014Pharmaceutical Biology\u2014Department of Health Sciences, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vincenzo","family":"Mollace","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRC-FSH Department of Health Sciences, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7048-5830","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tiziana","family":"Montalcini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"},{"name":"Research Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Diseases, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Arturo","family":"Pujia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"},{"name":"Research Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Metabolic Diseases, University \u201cMagna Gr\u00e6cia\u201d, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1076","DOI":"10.1007\/s12603-021-1675-6","article-title":"Mediterranean Diet in Healthy Aging","volume":"25","author":"Mazza","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. 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