Lutein and zeaxanthin in eye and skin health

Antioxidants

Carotenoids are natural lipid-soluble antioxidants abundantly found as colorful pigments in fruits and vegetables. At least 600 carotenoids occur naturally, although about 20 of them, including β-carotene, α-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, meso-zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin, are detectable in the human blood. They have distinct physiological and pathophysiological functions ranging from fetal development to adult homeostasis. β-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A that essentially functions in many biological processes including vision. The human macula lutea and eye lens are rich in lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin, collectively known as macular xanthophylls, which help maintain eye health and prevent ophthalmic diseases. Ocular carotenoids absorb light from the visible region (400–500 nm wavelength), enabling them to protect the retina and lens from potential photochemical damage induced by light exposure. These natural antioxidants also aid in quenching free radica...

Journal of Ophthalmology, 2015

Zeaxanthin and lutein are two carotenoid pigments that concentrated in the retina, especially in the macula. The effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on the prevention and treatment of various eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and cataract, ischemic/hypoxia induced retinopathy, light damage of the retina, retinitis pigmentosa, retinal detachment, and uveitis, have been studied in different experimental animal models. In these animal models, lutein and zeaxanthin have been reported to have beneficial effects in protecting ocular tissues and cells (especially the retinal neurons) against damage caused by different etiological factors. The mechanisms responsible for these effects of lutein and zeaxanthin include prevention of phototoxic damage by absorption of blue light, reduction of oxidative stress through antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging, and their anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic properties. The results of these experime...

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 1997

To characterize fully all the major and minor carotenoids and their metabolites in human retina and probe for the presence of the oxidative metabolites of lutein and zeaxanthin. Carotenoids of a composite of 58 pairs of human retinas and a monkey retina were elucidated by comparing their high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-ultraviolet/visible absorption spectrophotometry (UV/Vis)-mass spectrometry (MS) profile with those of authentic standards prepared by organic synthesis. In addition to lutein and zeaxanthin, several oxidation products of these compounds were present in the extracts from human retina. A major carotenoid resulting from direct oxidation of lutein was identified as 3-hydroxy-beta, epsilon-caroten-3'-one. Minor carotenoids were identified as: 3'-epilutein, epsilon,epsilon-carotene-3,3'-diol, epsilon,epsilon-carotene-3,3'-dione, 3'-hydroxy-epsilon,epsilon-caroten-3-one, and 2,6-cyclolycopene-1,5-diol. Several of the geometric isomers of lu...

Nutrition Reviews, 2005

Of the many carotenoids circulating in human sera, only lutein and zeaxanthin are accumulated throughout the tissues of the eye. Within the eye, they reach their highest concentration in the central retina, where they are clinically referred to as the macula lutea. Lutein and zeaxanthin, more commonly referred to as macular pigments, may serve a variety of roles in the specialized vision of higher primates. This paper reviews recent studies investigating the influence of macular pigments on human visual performance. Such studies have offered insight into why lutein and zeaxanthin are uniquely concentrated in ocular tissues.

Pharmacognosy Magazine, 2018

Background: Human eye is constantly exposed to different wavelengths and intensities of light. Oxidative stress results in distinct changes to retinal organs and tissues. Macular pigments (lutein and zeaxanthin), present in the central macular region, provide protection from photodamages by absorption of high energy blue light and also by virtue of their anti-oxidant activity. Ocular phototoxicity is thus prevented by our efficient anti-oxidant system, in both young and old. One of the best commercial sources of pure lutein and zeaxanthin is Marigold flowers. Objective: In the present study, oil-soluble dietary carotenoid supplement constituting lutein and zeaxanthin in the ratio of 10:1 was evaluated for its modulatory effect on anti-oxidant enzymes and macular pigments in the serum and macula of the Swiss albino rats. Materials and Methods: Male Swiss albino rats were treated with carotenoid supplement constituting lutein and trans-Zeaxanthin (10:1) at two different doses daily, under standard experimental conditions for 42 days. End of the treatment, serum and macula were collected and used for measurement of lutein and zeaxanthin levels along with anti-oxidant parameters. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical differences were assessed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnet's test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. All the results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Results: The supplement exhibited significant elevation of anti-oxidant enzyme levels in treated animals in dose-dependent manner. Concomitantly, the total antioxidant capacity has also been found to show similar increment at the end of the study period. This study revealed significant expression of the two macular pigments investigated. Conclusions: Our study, therefore, provides a strong claim for the anti-oxidant effect of the oil-soluble dietary carotenoid supplement, and thus substantiates its use in the prevention of phototoxic damage to the eye on long-term supplementation.

Progress in retinal and eye research, 2015

The human macula uniquely concentrates three carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin must be obtained from dietary sources such as green leafy vegetables and orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, while meso-zeaxanthin is rarely found in diet and is believed to be formed at the macula by metabolic transformations of ingested carotenoids. Epidemiological studies and large-scale clinical trials such as AREDS2 have brought attention to the potential ocular health and functional benefits of these three xanthophyll carotenoids consumed through the diet or supplements, but the basic science and clinical research underlying recommendations for nutritional interventions against age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases are underappreciated by clinicians and vision researchers alike. In this review article, we first examine the chemistry, biophysics, and physiology of these yellow pigments that are specifically concentrated in the macula lu...

Photochemical &amp; Photobiological Sciences, 2020

The macular pigment lutein is shown to be a particularly efficient protector compared to other dietary carotenoids against a range of specific ROS at all oxygen concentrations.

Journal of Ophthalmology, 2015

Lutein, zeaxanthin, andmeso-zeaxanthin are xanthophyll carotenoids found within the retina and throughout the visual system. The retina is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body. The highest concentration of xanthophylls is found within the retina, and this selective presence has generated many theories regarding their role in supporting retinal function. Subsequently, the effect of xanthophylls in the prevention and treatment of various eye diseases has been examined through epidemiological studies, animal studies, and clinical trials. This paper attempts to review the epidemiological studies and clinical trials investigating the effects of xanthophylls on the incidence and progression of various eye diseases. Observational studies have reported that increased dietary intake and higher serum levels of lutein and zeaxanthin are associated with lower risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), especially late AMD. Randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials h...

Molecular vision, 2006

Carotenoids are present in many biological systems, often decreasing the formation of products of oxidative damage to biological molecules. In the macula their concentration is so high that it has been believed that the yellow color filters out damaging blue light. Recent reports that dietary lutein reduces the risk of cataract in the eye lens suggested that the antioxidant action of carotenoids, which has been inferred from decreased oxidative damage, warranted further direct investigation. Superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging by lutein and zeaxanthin (retinal carotenoids), beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein esters (from marigolds), and a commercial mixture of soy carotenoids were compared to scavenging by ascorbate and ascorbyl palmitate. Radical scavenging was measured with a chemiluminescent assay (luminol) and by electron spin resonance, ESR. Inhibitory concentrations, IC(50), were determined with the luminescent assay. All of the carotenoids scavenged both superoxide (in ES...

Experimental Eye Research, 2000

Inverse associations have been reported between the incidence of advanced, neovascular, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and the combined lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) intake in the diet, and L and Z concentration in the blood serum. We suggest that persons with high levels of L and Z in either the diet or serum would probably have, in addition, relatively high densities of these carotenoids in the macula, the so-called`macular pigment'. Several lines of evidence point to a potential protective effect by the macular pigment against AMD. In this study we examined the relationship between dietary intake of L and Z using a food frequency questionnaire; concentration of L and Z in the serum, determined by highperformance liquid chromatography, and macular pigment optical density, obtained by¯icker photometry. Nineteen subjects participated. We also analysed the serum and retinas, as autopsy samples, from 23 tissue donors in order to obtain the concentration of L and Z in these tissues. The results reveal positive, though weak, associations between dietary intake of L and Z and serum concentration of L and Z, and between serum concentration of L and Z and macular pigment density. We estimate that approximately half of the variability in the subjects' serum concentration of L and Z can be explained by their dietary intake of L and Z, and about one third of the variability in their macular pigment density can be attributed to their serum concentration of L and Z. These results, together with the reported associations between risk of AMD and dietary and serum L and Z, support the hypothesis that low concentrations of macular pigment may be associated with an increased risk of AMD.