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Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2023The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the current findings on the major carotenoids and their content in pumpkin products and by-products. The content of... (Review)
Review
The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the current findings on the major carotenoids and their content in pumpkin products and by-products. The content of total carotenoids and the composition of carotenoids in pumpkins depend mainly on the species and cultivar, pedoclimatic conditions, the part of the plant (pulp, peel or seed), extraction procedures and the type of solvent used for extraction. The major carotenoids identified in pumpkins were β-carotene, α-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. β-Carotene is the major carotenoid in most pumpkin species. The number and content of total carotenoids are higher when minor carotenoids and ester forms are considered. The use of carotenoids in the development of functional foods has been the topic of many versatile studies in recent years, as they add significant value to foods associated with numerous health benefits. In view of this, pumpkin and pumpkin by-products can serve as a valuable source of carotenoids.
Topics: beta Carotene; Cucurbita; Carotenoids; Lutein; Functional Food
PubMed: 36677916
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020858 -
Marine Drugs Oct 2022The first total synthesis of loroxanthin () was accomplished by Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of C-apocarotenal having a silyl-protected 19-hydroxy moiety with...
The first total synthesis of loroxanthin () was accomplished by Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of C-apocarotenal having a silyl-protected 19-hydroxy moiety with C-phosphonate bearing a silyl-protected 3-hydroxy-ε-end group. Preparation of apocarotenal was achieved via Stille coupling reaction of alkenyl iodide with alkenyl stananne , whereas phosphonate was prepared through treatment of ally alcohol with triethyl phosphite and ZnI. The ally alcohol was derived from the known (3,6)-3-hydroxy C-aldehyde which was obtained by direct optical resolution of racemate using a semi-preparative chiral HPLC column.
Topics: Carotenoids; Organophosphonates; Stereoisomerism
PubMed: 36354981
DOI: 10.3390/md20110658 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2023The association between dietary carotenoid intake and Soluble Klotho (S-Klotho) levels among the elderly population requires further evaluation. The purpose of this...
OBJECTIVES
The association between dietary carotenoid intake and Soluble Klotho (S-Klotho) levels among the elderly population requires further evaluation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the dietary carotenoid intake and the S-Klotho plasma levels in older adults.
METHODS
Eligible participants aged 60 years or above were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) data, collected between 2007 and 2016. The consumption of carotenoids was determined through two 24-hour dietary recall assessments. Moreover, the S-Klotho levels in the serum were measured using an Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA).
RESULTS
A total of 5,056 participants were included in the study having a median total carotenoid intake of 9775.25 μg (95% confidence interval (CI): 8971.30-10579.21) and a median S-Klotho concentration of 815.59 pg/mL (95% CI: 802.59-828.60). The multivariable regression analysis showed that a single standard deviation increase in total carotenoid intake was significantly associated with an 8.40 pg/mL increase in S-Klotho levels (95% CI: 0.48-16.31). When the carotenoids were divided into quartiles, participants in the third ((4963.5μg/day,11662.5μg/day]) and fourth quartiles ((11662.5μg/day,377178μg/day]) showed higher S-Klotho levels compared to those in the first quartile. Among carotenoid subtypes, increased intake of α-carotene, β-carotene, and lutein with zeaxanthin was associated with elevated S-Klotho levels. These observed associations between carotenoid subtypes and S-Klotho levels remained consistent across male participants, having a normal weight, and a moderate physical activity based on stratified analysis.
CONCLUSION
The total carotenoid intake was positively related to plasma levels of S-Klotho in the elderly population, particularly for α-carotene, β-carotene, and lutein with zeaxanthin. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the underlying mechanisms behind this relationship.
Topics: Male; Aged; Humans; Middle Aged; Antioxidants; Lutein; beta Carotene; Nutrition Surveys; Zeaxanthins; Carotenoids; Aging
PubMed: 37955004
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1283722 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2023The thyroid hormones play a pivotal role in various physiological processes, including growth, metabolism regulation, and reproduction. While non-modifiable factors are... (Review)
Review
The thyroid hormones play a pivotal role in various physiological processes, including growth, metabolism regulation, and reproduction. While non-modifiable factors are known to impact thyroid function, such as genetics and age, nutritional factors are also important. Diets rich in selenium and iodine are conventionally acknowledged to be beneficial for the production and release of thyroid hormones. Recent studies have suggested a potential link between beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A (retinol), and thyroid function. Beta-carotene is known for its antioxidant properties and has been shown to play a role in the prevention of various clinical conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular and neurological diseases. However, its impact on thyroid function is still unclear. Some studies have suggested a positive association between beta-carotene levels and thyroid function, while others have found no significant effect. Conversely, the hormone produced by the thyroid gland, thyroxine, enhances the conversion of beta-carotene to retinol. Furthermore, vitamin A derivatives are being explored as potential therapeutic options for thyroid malignancies. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms through which beta-carotene/retinol and thyroid hormones interact and review the findings of clinical studies examining the association between beta-carotene consumption and thyroid hormone levels. Our review underscores the need for further research to clarify the relationship between beta-carotene and thyroid function.
Topics: Thyroid Gland; beta Carotene; Vitamin A; Thyroid Hormones; Physiological Phenomena
PubMed: 37305054
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1089315 -
Oxidative Medicine and Cellular... 2022Tissue and organ ischemia can lead to cell trauma, tissue necrosis, irreversible damage, and death. While intended to reverse ischemia, reperfusion can further aggravate... (Review)
Review
Tissue and organ ischemia can lead to cell trauma, tissue necrosis, irreversible damage, and death. While intended to reverse ischemia, reperfusion can further aggravate an ischemic injury (ischemia-reperfusion injury, I/R injury) through a range of pathologic processes. An I/R injury to one organ can also harm other organs, leading to systemic multiorgan failure. A type of carotenoid, lycopene, has been shown to treat and prevent many diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, male infertility, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular disease), making it a hot research topic in health care. Some recent researches have suggested that lycopene can evidently ameliorate ischemic and I/R injuries to many organs, but few clinical studies are available. Therefore, it is essential to review the effects of lycopene on ischemic and I/R injuries to different organs, which may help further research into its potential clinical applications.
Topics: Antioxidants; Carotenoids; Humans; Ischemia; Lycopene; Male; Reperfusion; Reperfusion Injury
PubMed: 36246396
DOI: 10.1155/2022/9309327 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2022Microalgae are photosynthetic, eukaryotic organisms that are widely used in the industry as cell factories to produce valuable substances, such as fatty acids... (Review)
Review
Microalgae are photosynthetic, eukaryotic organisms that are widely used in the industry as cell factories to produce valuable substances, such as fatty acids (polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)), sterols (sitosterol), recombinant therapeutic proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, phenolic compounds (gallic acid, quercetin), and pigments (β-carotene, astaxanthin, lutein). Phenolic compounds and carotenoids, including those extracted from microalgae, possess beneficial bioactivities such as antioxidant capacity, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities, and direct health-promoting effects, which may alleviate oxidative stress and age-related diseases, including cardiovascular diseases or diabetes. The production of valuable microalgal metabolites can be modified by using abiotic stressors, such as light, salinity, nutrient availability, and xenobiotics (for instance, phytohormones).
Topics: Carotenoids; Microalgae; beta Carotene; Antioxidants; Lutein
PubMed: 36557985
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27248852 -
Plant Signaling & Behavior Dec 2023Photosynthetic organisms biosynthesize various carotenoids, a group of light-absorbing isoprenoid pigments that have key functions in photosynthesis, photoprotection,... (Review)
Review
Photosynthetic organisms biosynthesize various carotenoids, a group of light-absorbing isoprenoid pigments that have key functions in photosynthesis, photoprotection, and phototaxis. Microalgae, in particular, contain diverse carotenoids and carotenoid biosynthetic pathways as a consequence of the various endosymbiotic events in their evolutionary history. Carotenoids such as astaxanthin, diadinoxanthin, and fucoxanthin are unique to algae. In microalgae, carotenoids are concentrated in the eyespot, a pigmented organelle that is important for phototaxis. A wide range of microalgae, including chlorophytes, euglenophytes, ochrophytes, and haptophytes, have an eyespot. In the chlorophyte , carotenoid layers in the eyespot reflect light to amplify the photosignal and shield photoreceptors from light, thereby enabling precise phototaxis. Our recent research revealed that, in contrast to the β-carotene-rich eyespot of , the euglenophyte relies on zeaxanthin for stable eyespot formation and phototaxis. In this review, we highlight recent advancements in the study of eyespot carotenoids and phototaxis in these microalgae, placing special emphasis on the diversity of carotenoid-dependent visual systems among microalgae.
Topics: Carotenoids; Microalgae; Phototaxis; Terpenes; beta Carotene
PubMed: 37724547
DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2023.2257348 -
The New Phytologist May 2021Xanthophyll cycles are broadly important in photoprotection, and the reversible de-epoxidation of xanthophylls typically occurs in excess light conditions. However, as... (Review)
Review
Xanthophyll cycles are broadly important in photoprotection, and the reversible de-epoxidation of xanthophylls typically occurs in excess light conditions. However, as presented in this review, compiling evidence in a wide range of photosynthetic eukaryotes shows that xanthophyll de-epoxidation also occurs under diverse abiotic stress conditions in darkness. Light-driven photochemistry usually leads to the pH changes that activate de-epoxidases (e.g. violaxanthin de-epoxidase), but in darkness alternative electron transport pathways and luminal domains enriched in monogalactosyl diacyl glycerol (which enhance de-epoxidase activity) likely enable de-epoxidation. Another 'dark side' to sustaining xanthophyll de-epoxidation is inactivation and/or degradation of epoxidases (e.g. zeaxanthin epoxidase). There are obvious benefits of such activity regarding stress tolerance, and indeed this phenomenon has only been reported in stressful conditions. However, more research is required to unravel the mechanisms and understand the physiological roles of dark-induced formation of zeaxanthin. Notably, the de-epoxidation of violaxanthin to antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin in darkness is still a frequently ignored process, perhaps because it questions a previous paradigm. With that in mind, this review seeks to shed some light on the dark side of xanthophyll de-epoxidation, and point out areas for future work.
Topics: Darkness; Lutein; Stress, Physiological; Xanthophylls; Zeaxanthins
PubMed: 33452715
DOI: 10.1111/nph.17191 -
Journal of the American Chemical Society Apr 2022A new polyene cyclization strategy exploiting β-ionyl derivatives was developed. Photoinduced deconjugation of the extended π-system within these chromophores unveils...
A new polyene cyclization strategy exploiting β-ionyl derivatives was developed. Photoinduced deconjugation of the extended π-system within these chromophores unveils a contrathermodynamic polyene that engages in a Heck bicyclization to afford [4.4.1]-propellanes. This cascade improves upon the limited regioselectivity achieved using existing biomimetic tactics and tolerates both electron-rich and electron-deficient (hetero)aryl groups. The utility of this approach was demonstrated with the diverted total synthesis of taxodione and salviasperanol, two isomeric abietane diterpenes that were previously inaccessible along the same synthetic pathway.
Topics: Abietanes; Cyclization; Polyenes; Stereoisomerism
PubMed: 35377634
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c02144 -
Nutrients May 2023β-cryptoxanthin is a dietary carotenoid for which there have been few studies on the safety and pharmacokinetics following daily oral supplementation. (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
β-cryptoxanthin is a dietary carotenoid for which there have been few studies on the safety and pharmacokinetics following daily oral supplementation.
METHODS
90 healthy Asian women between 21 and 35 years were randomized into three groups: 3 and 6 mg/day oral β-cryptoxanthin, and placebo. At 2, 4, and 8 weeks of supplementation, plasma carotenoid levels were measured. The effects of β-cryptoxanthin on blood retinoid-dependent gene expression, mood, physical activity and sleep, metabolic parameters, and fecal microbial composition were investigated.
RESULTS
β-cryptoxanthin supplementation for 8 weeks (3 and 6 mg/day) was found to be safe and well tolerated. Plasma β-cryptoxanthin concentration was significantly higher in the 6 mg/day group (9.0 ± 4.1 µmol/L) compared to 3 mg/day group (6.0 ± 2.6 µmol/L) ( < 0.03), and placebo (0.4 ± 0.1 µmol/L) ( < 0.001) after 8 weeks. Plasma all-trans retinol, α-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin levels were not significantly changed. No effects were found on blood retinol-dependent gene expression, mood, physical activity and sleep, metabolic parameters, and fecal microbial composition.
CONCLUSIONS
Oral β-cryptoxanthin supplementation over 8 weeks lead to high plasma concentrations of β-cryptoxanthin, with no impact on other carotenoids, and was well tolerated in healthy women.
Topics: Humans; Female; Vitamin A; Beta-Cryptoxanthin; Carotenoids; beta Carotene; Lutein; Zeaxanthins; Dietary Supplements
PubMed: 37242207
DOI: 10.3390/nu15102325