'Tomato skin' pill could cut risk of strokes, heart attacks and cancer Ian Wilkinson, director of Cambridge University's clinical trials unit, said: "We think these results are good news and potentially very significant, but we need more trials to see if they translate into fewer heart attacks and strokes." Peter Kirkpatrick, medical adviser to CamNutra, which has developed Ateronon, added: "It is too early to come to any firm conclusions, but the results from this trial are far better than anything we could have hoped for." Results from the two-month trial showed that the pill helped cells of the endothelium, the layer of cells which lines the blood vessels, to function better. The cells became more sensitive to nitric oxide, the gas which in healthy people boosts blood flow by causing the blood vessels to expand during exercise, and overall the patients" blood vessels became up to 50 per cent more flexible. Scientists developing the pill hope it could be used as an alternative to statins for patients who cannot take the cholesterol-lowering drugs, and believe it may have wider health benefits. David Fitzmaurice, professor of primary care clinical sciences at Birmingham University, said: "If this modified lycopene really does have an effect on endothelial function, then it could have a beneficial effect on virtually every inflammatory disease process, including things like arthritis or diabetes. It is all highly speculative at this stage, but this [modified lycopene] might even slow down the development of cancer, which is also linked to inflammation. Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Although this small study showed that lycopene improved blood flow in people with heart disease, that's a long way from demonstrating that taking lycopene could improve outcomes for people with heart disease. We still say the best way to get the benefits of a Mediterranean diet is to eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.