Tomatine is a natural glycoalkaloid found in tomatoes, especially in green or unripe fruits, leaves, and stems. It serves as a natural defense compound for the plant against pests and pathogens. Due to its bioactive properties, tomatine has attracted interest for various applications.

In agriculture, tomatine acts as a natural pesticide. It shows antifungal and insecticidal activity, helping protect tomato plants from fungal infections like early blight and powdery mildew, as well as deterring insect feeding. This makes it a candidate for developing eco-friendly crop protection agents.

In research, tomatine is studied for its potential health benefits. It exhibits anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering effects in laboratory studies. Some investigations suggest it may have anticancer properties by inducing apoptosis in certain cancer cell lines, including colon, breast, and liver cancers, though these findings are still in early stages and mostly limited to in vitro models.

Tomatine also has use in immunology and biotechnology. It functions as a saponin with adjuvant-like properties, meaning it can enhance immune responses, and has been explored in vaccine development and cell membrane studies due to its ability to interact with cholesterol in membranes. Additionally, it shows antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi, with potential as a natural preservative in food or cosmetic products.

Despite these potentials, tomatine's use is limited by its toxicity at high doses, and more research is needed to determine safe and effective applications in medicine or agriculture.