《中英對照讀新聞》Tomato extract may help lower blood pressure 番茄萃取物可能有助降低血壓

◎ 陳成良

A dietary supplement derived from tomatoes may help treat moderately elevated blood pressure, the results of a small study suggest.

一種取自番茄的營養補充品，可能有助於治療中度高血壓，一項小型研究結果顯示。

Researchers in Israel found that a daily dose of tomato extract helped lower blood pressure among 31 men and women with mild hypertension. On average, their systolic pressure dropped 10 points, while their diastolic pressure dipped four points, both statistically significant differences.

以色列研究人員對31名患有中度高血壓的男女進行實驗，讓他們每天服用一劑番茄萃取物，發現他們的血壓降低了。平均來說，他們的心臟收縮壓降低了10點，心舒張壓則降低了4點，兩者均具有統計上的明顯不同。

The supplement, sold as Lyc-O-Mato, contains several plant compounds found in tomatoes. Among them is lycopene, an antioxidant that some studies suggest may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

這種以Lyc-O-Mato為名販售的補給品，含有數種存在於番茄的植物化合物，其中之一為茄紅素，這是一種抗氧化物，一些研究指出，它可以降低罹患心血管疾病的風險。

Antioxidants, such as lycopene and vitamins C and E, help neutralize oxygen free radicals--molecules that are a natural byproduct of metabolism--can damage body cells over time. This "oxidative stress" is thought to contribute to a range of chronic diseases, including heart disease.

諸如茄紅素和維他命C、E等抗氧化物，有助於中和破壞人體細胞的氧自由基─人體新陳代謝的產物─的功能。這種氧自由基帶來的「氧化壓力」，被認為是導致一些慢性疾病，包括心臟病的殺手。

The antioxidant effects of the tomato extract may explain its apparent benefit on blood pressure, according to the report in the American Heart Journal.

這種番茄萃取物的功能，或許有助於解釋它對血壓的明顯益處，據這項發表在《美國心臟期刊》的報告指出。

新聞辭典

extract：名詞，提取物、濃縮、摘錄。例句：He read several extracts from the poem.（他讀了詩中的幾段）。

cardiovascular：形容詞，心血管的；侵襲心血管的。文中cardiovascular disease即「心血管方面的疾病」。

byproduct：名詞，副產品： 附帶的結果。例句：Amonia, coal-tar, and coke are valuable byproducts obtained in the manufacture of coal-gas. （阿摩尼亞、煤焦油和焦炭都是製造煤氣的重要副產品）。