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Purpose: Diabetic retinopathy is a common cause of blindness among diabetics. Studies around the globe establish oxidative stress as one of the major players of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Epidemiological reports suggest that consumption of large quantity of fruits and vegetables of high carotenoid content decreases risk of diabetes-based complications including retinopathy. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant and a carotenoid family member having known health benefits. Thus, the present investigation was designed to evaluate the antioxidant property.

Methods: The antioxidant potential of lycopene was determined using D407 retinal pigment epithelial cell lines through lycopene incorporation studies and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide cell cytotoxicity assay.

Results: Lycopene showed good antioxidant effect in-vitro on retinal pigment epithelial cell line and it was devoid of any cellular toxicity in 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.

Conclusion: The results suggest that lycopene can be a potential candidate to halt the progression of diabetic retinopathy due to its effective defense against oxidative stress and non-toxic nature on the retinal pigment epithelial cells.