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Marine Natural Products
Published in Se-Kwon Kim, Marine Biochemistry, 2023
Carotenoids have very important functions in human health. Because of their potent antioxidant properties and provitamin A, carotenoids are considered important molecules of vital importance in protecting against chronic degenerative diseases, such as aging, cancer, cataract, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases. Because humans and animals cannot synthesize carotenoids, their diet is vital to ingesting them and then using them for important functions, such as visual pigments, antioxidants, or colorants. Beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin have provitamin A activity. Zeaxanthin and lutein are the major carotenoids in the macular region (yellow spot) of the retina in humans.
Free Radicals and Antioxidants
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
In brief, lutein and zeaxanthin are strong antioxidants and are considered protector agents of eyes, especially the retina and its macula (131–134). They are also necessary for brain development in babies and cognitive function in adults. It has been suggested that six to eight mg of lutein per day, either through diet or supplements, is likely effective in protecting or reducing the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in both healthy individuals or patients with eye disease (131–133).
Nutraceuticals and Brain Disorders
Published in Debarshi Kar Mahapatra, Cristóbal Noé Aguilar, A. K. Haghi, Applied Pharmaceutical Practice and Nutraceuticals, 2021
Akshada Atul Bakliwal, Vijay Sharadkumar Chudiwal, Swati Gokul Talele
Lutein is one of the most significant carotenoids found in numerous leafy foods like mangoes, corn, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, tomatoes, and so forth. Lutein dipalmitate is found in the plant Heleniumautumnale. Lutein, otherwise called helenien, is utilized for the treatment of visual issues. Zeaxanthin is utilized in customary Chinese medication principally for the treatment of visual issues. Nourishment wellsprings of zeaxanthin incorporate corn, egg yolk, green vegetables, and natural products, for example, broccoli, green beans, green peas, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, collard greens, spinach, lettuce, kiwi, and honeydew. Lutein and zeaxanthin are likewise found in weeds, green growth, and the petals of many yellow blossoms. In green vegetables, foods grown from the ground yolk, lutein, and zeaxanthin exist in nonesterified structures.
Factors determining the oral absorption and systemic disposition of zeaxanthin in rats: in vitro, in situ, and in vivo evaluations
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2022
Seong‑Wook Seo, Dong‑Gyun Han, Eugene Choi, Min‑Jeong Seo, Im‑Sook Song, In‑Soo Yoon
Zeaxanthin (β,β‑carotene‑3,3′‑diol) is a yellow‑coloured tetraterpene pigment with a molecular weight of 568.8 Da (Murillo et al. 2019). Zeaxanthin, along with lutein and meso‑zeaxanthin, is highly concentrated in the macula of the retina that is mainly responsible for central and fine‑feature vision (Billsten et al. 2003; Eisenhauer et al. 2017). These three carotenoids (called macular pigments) are efficient absorbers of blue light, protecting against age‑related macular degeneration (AMD), a degenerative disease that may lead to blurred or no vision in the centre of the visual field, owing to their blue light‑filtering and antioxidant activities (Kijlstra et al. 2012; Mares 2016). Dietary intake and plasma levels of these carotenoids have been associated with a lower risk of AMD (Hartmann et al. 2004). Additionally, zeaxanthin acts as a more potent antioxidant than lutein, protecting against oxidative stress in other tissues as well as the eyes (Murillo et al. 2019). Mammals are not able to synthesize zeaxanthin; thus, it must be obtained from dietary sources (Delgado‑Pelayo and Hornero‑Mendez 2012). Zeaxanthin is found in many plants, including green leafy and yellow‑orange vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, corn, orange, paprika, saffron, and wolfberries (goji) (Murillo et al. 2019). It can also be found in animal products, such as egg yolks and cheese (Murillo et al. 2019).
Changes in Aqueous Humor Lutein Levels of Patients with Cataracts after a 6-Week Course of Lutein-Containing Antioxidant Supplementation
Published in Current Eye Research, 2022
Rijo Hayashi, Shimmin Hayashi, Shigeki Machida
The results of a meta-analysis by Jiang et al.51 demonstrated that every 10 mg/d increase in the dietary lutein induced a 26% decrease in the risk of age-related cataracts. A dose-response analysis by Ma et al.52 also showed that every 0.3 mg/d increase in the dietary lutein and zeaxanthin induced a 3% reduction in the risk of nuclear cataracts. The results of this study showed that the levels of lutein in the serum increased over 50%, whereas the levels in the aqueous humor increased nearly 150% after the intake of a supplement containing 6 mg of lutein. Rock et al. reported that every 10% increase in the dietary lutein + zeaxanthin induced a 2.4% increase in the serum lutein level.49 The changes in the serum lutein level after the intake of this supplement are equivalent to a 200% increase in the dietary lutein intake. This suggests that there is more efficient absorption after a lutein supplement than with the ingestion of a similar amount in a normal diet. The results of this study also point to significant increases in the lutein levels in patients with lower pre-intake lutein serum levels. In addition, there was also a tendency for a higher percentage of increases to occur in patients with lower pre-intake aqueous humor lutein levels. Therefore, the intake of this supplement, which contained 6 mg/d of lutein, could potentially be effective in helping to decrease the risk of cataracts, especially in patients with lower serum lutein levels who had a lower dietary lutein intake.
Exploring Factors Underlying Ethnic Difference in Age-related Macular Degeneration Prevalence
Published in Ophthalmic Epidemiology, 2020
Mark Jones, Clare Whitton, Ava G Tan, Elizabeth G Holliday, Christopher Oldmeadow, Victoria M Flood, Xueling Sim, Jin-Fang Chai, Haslina Hamzah, Ronald Klein, Yik-Ying Teo, Paul Mitchell, Tien Y Wong, E Shyong Tai, Rob M Van Dam, John Attia, Jie Jin Wang
There is a possibility that the AHEI does not capture dietary components that are strongly associated with risk of AMD. We were able to include 9 of the 11 items for AHEI score calculation and these items include vegetables, fruits and whole grains.37 Dietary intake of lutein-zeaxanthin has been consistently found associated with low risk of late AMD in population-based studies,17,18,49–51 or in subgroups of the population.24 It is a well-known fact that dietary lutein/zeaxanthin derives primarily from green vegetables, corn, fruits, wholegrain food and eggs.52,53 Better diet quality, assessed using different instruments including the AHEI, was shown to be associated with higher plasma levels of carotenes, lutein and cryptoxanthin,54 and the association between better diet quality and high plasma level of lutein was consistent across five ethnic groups living in Hawaii and California.54 Similar associations were observed in Hispanic elders living in the US.55 These data provide some reassurance that the AHEI indeed captures a main dietary antioxidant that is consistently associated with a reduced risk of late AMD.