Review

Authors: Ramesh Kumar Saini, Parchuri Prasad, Veeresh Lokesh...

Natural carotenoids (CARs), viz. β-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, bixin, norbixin, capsanthin, lycopene, canthaxanthin, β-Apo-8-carotenal, zeaxanthin, and β-apo-8-carotenal-ester, are being studied as potential candidates in fields such as food, feed, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. CAR research is advancing in the following three major fields: (1) CAR production from natural sources and optimization of its downstream processing; (2) encapsulation for enhanced physical and chemical properties; and (3) preclinical, clinical, and epidemiological studies of CARs' health benefits. This review critically discusses the recent developments in studies of the chemistry and antioxidant activity, marketing trends, dietary sources, extraction, bioaccessibility and bioavailability, encapsulation methods, dietary intake, and health benefits of CARs. Preclinical, clinical, and epidemiological studies on cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), osteoporosis, neurodegenerative disease, mental health, eye, and skin health are also discussed.

PubMed: 35453480
DOI: 10.3390/antiox11040795

Review

Authors: Bárbara A Rebelo, Sara Farrona, M Rita Ventura...

Carotenoids are a class of pigments with a biological role in light capture and antioxidant activities. High value ketocarotenoids, such as astaxanthin and canthaxanthin, are highly appealing for applications in human nutraceutical, cosmetic, and animal feed industries due to their color- and health-related properties. In this review, recent advances in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology towards the production of ketocarotenoids, in particular the red-orange canthaxanthin, are highlighted. Also reviewed and discussed are the properties of canthaxanthin, its natural producers, and various strategies for its chemical synthesis. We review the de novo synthesis of canthaxanthin and the functional β-carotene ketolase enzyme across organisms, supported by a protein-sequence-based phylogenetic analysis. Various possible modifications of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway and the present sustainable cost-effective alternative platforms for ketocarotenoids biosynthesis are also discussed.

PubMed: 32824217
DOI: 10.3390/plants9081039

Review

Authors: Vinita Gaur, Surojit Bera

Canthaxanthin is an orange-red keto-carotenoid that occurs naturally and is also manufactured by synthetic methods for regular applications. In nature, canthaxanthin mainly exists in microbes such as different bacterial species, fungi, and algae, as well as in animals such as crustaceans, certain fishes, and birds. However, the amount of canthaxanthin produced in these organisms varies significantly. Additionally, the compound can be generated from genetically modified organisms using genetic engineering techniques Canthaxanthin finds extensive application as an additive in animal feed, in the pharmaceutical industry, as a coloring agent for various food products, and in cosmetics. It has powerful antioxidant properties and plays a role in lipid metabolism, neuroprotection, and immunomodulation. This article gives an extensive insight into the structure and methods of synthesis of canthaxanthin along with its various newly discovered sources identified so far. The significant applications of canthaxanthin, particularly its role in pharmaceuticals, are critically evaluated. Furthermore, the article discusses future aspects and challenges associated with canthaxanthin production and regulation.

PubMed: 37850112
DOI: 10.5114/bta.2023.130733

Review

Authors: Agnieszka Sujak

Canthaxanthin (beta, beta-carotene 4, 4' dione) is used widely as a drug or as a food and cosmetic colorant, but it may have some undesirable effects on human health, mainly caused by the formation of crystals in the macula lutea membranes of the retina. This condition is called canthaxanthin retinopathy. It has been shown that this type of dysfunction of the eye is strongly connected with damage to the blood vessels around the place of crystal deposition. This paper is a review of the experimental data supporting the hypothesis that the interactions of canthaxanthin with the lipid membranes and the aggregation of this pigment may be the factors enhancing canthaxanthin toxicity towards the macula vascular system. All the results of the experiments that have been done on model systems such as monolayers of pure canthaxanthin and mixtures of canthaxanthin and lipids, oriented bilayers or liposomes indicate a very strong effect of canthaxanthin on the physical properties of lipid membranes, which may explain its toxic action, which leads to the further development of canthaxanthin retinopathy.

Topics: Canthaxanthin; Humans; Macula Lutea; Membrane Lipids; Pigmentation; Retinitis Pigmentosa

PubMed: 19214394
DOI: 10.2478/s11658-009-0010-8

Review

Authors: Takuji Tanaka, Masahito Shnimizu, Hisataka Moriwaki...

Carotenoids are natural fat-soluble pigments that provide bright coloration to plants and animals. Dietary intake of carotenoids is inversely associated with the risk of a variety of cancers in different tissues. Preclinical studies have shown that some carotenoids have potent antitumor effects both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting potential preventive and/or therapeutic roles for the compounds. Since chemoprevention is one of the most important strategies in the control of cancer development, molecular mechanism-based cancer chemoprevention using carotenoids seems to be an attractive approach. Various carotenoids, such as β-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, fucoxanthin, canthaxanthin and astaxanthin, have been proven to have anti-carcinogenic activity in several tissues, although high doses of β-carotene failed to exhibit chemopreventive activity in clinical trials. In this review, cancer prevention using carotenoids are reviewed and the possible mechanisms of action are described.

Topics: Animals; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Antioxidants; Carotenoids; Chemoprevention; Clinical Trials as Topic; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Fruit; Humans; Neoplasms; Vegetables

PubMed: 22418926
DOI: 10.3390/molecules17033202

Review

Authors: Jolanta Flieger, Alicja Forma, Wojciech Flieger...

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by, among other things, dementia and a decline in cognitive performance. In AD, dementia has neurodegenerative features and starts with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Research indicates that apoptosis and neuronal loss occur in AD, in which oxidative stress plays an important role. Therefore, reducing oxidative stress with antioxidants is a natural strategy to prevent and slow down the progression of AD. Carotenoids are natural pigments commonly found in fruits and vegetables. They include lipophilic carotenes, such as lycopene, α- and β-carotenes, and more polar xanthophylls, for example, lutein, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin. Carotenoids can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and scavenge free radicals, especially singlet oxygen, which helps prevent the peroxidation of lipids abundant in the brain. As a result, carotenoids have neuroprotective potential. Numerous in vivo and in vitro studies, as well as randomized controlled trials, have mostly confirmed that carotenoids can help prevent neurodegeneration and alleviate cognitive impairment in AD. While carotenoids have not been officially approved as an AD therapy, they are indicated in the diet recommended for AD, including the consumption of products rich in carotenoids. This review summarizes the latest research findings supporting the potential use of carotenoids in preventing and alleviating AD symptoms. A literature review suggests that a diet rich in carotenoids should be promoted to avoid cognitive decline in AD. One of the goals of the food industry should be to encourage the enrichment of food products with functional substances, such as carotenoids, which may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Humans; Carotenoids; Dietary Supplements; Animals; Antioxidants; Oxidative Stress; Cognitive Dysfunction; Neuroprotective Agents

PubMed: 39201668
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168982

Authors: Chao Wen, Xinde Xu, Di Zhou...

Canthaxanthin is widely used as a feed additive to improve skin and yolk color in poultry. It is insoluble in water and sensitive to oxidation, so commercial canthaxanthin is often microencapsulated with wall materials to improve its solubility and stability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of canthaxanthin microencapsulation on yolk color and canthaxanthin deposition in egg yolk of laying hens. A total of 288 Hyline Brown laying hens (48 wk of age) were allocated to 4 groups with 6 replicates of 12 hens each, and fed a basal diet or the basal diet supplemented with 5 mg/kg canthaxanthin microencapsulated with modified starch (CMMS), gelatin (CMG), and sodium lignosulfonate (CMSL), respectively. Canthaxanthin supplementation did not affect laying performance of hens, but improved (P < 0.05) yolk color of fresh, fried, boiled, and stored (4 and 25°C) eggs. The improvement of yolk color of fresh eggs was greatest in the CMSL group and least in the CMG group (P < 0.05). Both CMMS and CMSL resulted in higher (P < 0.05) yolk canthaxanthin concentration than CMG. The CMSL resulted in higher (P < 0.05) yolk color score of fried eggs than CMMS and CMG and higher (P < 0.05) yolk color score of boiled eggs than CMG, but no difference was observed in stored eggs among three canthaxanthin groups. In conclusion, CMMS and CMSL were more effective in yolk pigmentation than CMG, and CMSL was slightly better than CMMS.

Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Canthaxanthin; Chickens; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Egg Yolk; Eggs; Female; Ovum

PubMed: 35504065
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2022.101889

Authors: Gaosheng Shi, Hyein Kim, Sangho Koo...

Oxo-carotenoids containing conjugated carbonyl groups in their chains were designed to be more efficient superoxide radical scavengers than natural carotenoids, β-carotene and canthaxanthin. A practical chain-extension method for polyene dials (e.g., crocetin dial) was also proposed based on Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination. Double aldol condensation between polyene dials and acetophenones with ring substituents produced oxo-carotenoids with substituted benzene rings. The antioxidant activity of oxo-carotenoids was measured using DPPH (radical) and ABTS (cationic radical) scavenging assays and compared with the analysis with the superoxide (anionic radical) probe. An effective conjugation length by carbon-carbon double bonds is important to provide superior antioxidant activity for oxo-carotenoids, regardless of the type of radical probe used in the assay. Increasing electron density is favorable to strong antioxidant activity in DPPH, and the phenol group is favored in ABTS, whereas electron deficient oxo-carotenoids are very potent in the superoxide radical assay. All oxo-carotenoids exhibited 105~151% better superoxide radical scavenging activity compared to beta-carotene (100%), whereas 38~155% in DPPH and 16~96% in ABTS radical scavenging activities were observed.

PubMed: 36009244
DOI: 10.3390/antiox11081525

Review

Authors: Raphael C Mordi, Olabisi T Ademosun, Christiana O Ajanaku...

This article reviews the excited-state quenching, pro-vitamin A activity and anticarcinogenicity of carotenes and xanthophylls in relation to their chemical structures. Excited-state quenching improved with the length of the conjugated chain structure. Pro-vitamin A activity was dependent on the presence of at least one beta-ionyl ring structure. The effectiveness of carotenoids as antioxidants depended on their ability to trap peroxyl radicals with production of resonance-stabilized carotenyl radicals. The products identified from oxidations of carotenes and xanthophylls with molecular oxygen and other oxidizing agents are presented. The free radical-mediated mechanisms that have been proposed to account for the different classes of products are reviewed.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Carcinogenesis; Carotenoids; Free Radicals; Humans; Oxidation-Reduction; Xanthophylls

PubMed: 32110916
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25051038

Review

Authors: Javier Ávila-Román, Sara García-Gil, Azahara Rodríguez-Luna...

Acute inflammation is a key component of the immune system's response to pathogens, toxic agents, or tissue injury, involving the stimulation of defense mechanisms aimed to removing pathogenic factors and restoring tissue homeostasis. However, uncontrolled acute inflammatory response may lead to chronic inflammation, which is involved in the development of many diseases, including cancer. Nowadays, the need to find new potential therapeutic compounds has raised the worldwide scientific interest to study the marine environment. Specifically, microalgae are considered rich sources of bioactive molecules, such as carotenoids, which are natural isoprenoid pigments with important beneficial effects for health due to their biological activities. Carotenoids are essential nutrients for mammals, but they are unable to synthesize them; instead, a dietary intake of these compounds is required. Carotenoids are classified as carotenes (hydrocarbon carotenoids), such as α- and β-carotene, and xanthophylls (oxygenate derivatives) including zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, fucoxanthin, lutein, α- and β-cryptoxanthin, and canthaxanthin. This review summarizes the present up-to-date knowledge of the anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of microalgal carotenoids both in vitro and in vivo, as well as the latest status of human studies for their potential use in prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Aquatic Organisms; Carotenoids; Microalgae

PubMed: 34677429
DOI: 10.3390/md19100531