Chemistry, Stability, and Biological Actions of Carotenoids

Phytochemical and antioxidant characterization of mamey (Pouteria sapota Jacq. H.E. Moore & Stearn) fruit

“…Growing scientific evidence suggests an inverse relationship between the consumption of fruits and vegetables and the development of these disorders (Yahia and Ornelas-Paz, 2010;Ames, Shigenaga, & Hagen, 1993;Arts & Hollman, 2005;Dillard & German, 2000;Eastwood, 1999;Esterbauer, Dieber-Rotheneder, Striegl, & Waeg, 1991;Ness & Powles, 1997;Prior & Cao, 2000;Riboli & Norat, 2003;Verlangieri, Kapeghian, el-Dean, & Bush, 1985). In addition to providing essential nutrients, fruits and vegetables also contain several other phytochemicals which have been suggested as responsible for health benefits due to their antioxidant properties and other positive effects (Yahia and Ornelas-Paz, 2010;Wu, Gu, et al, 2004;Di Majo et al, 2005;da Costa, Ballus, Teixeira-Filho, & Teixeira Godoy, 2010). Phytochemicals are capable of neutralizing the effects of free radicals, thought to be associated with damage to proteins, DNA, cell membranes, etc.…”

Contribution of Major Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Antioxidants from Papaya Fruit to Total Antioxidant Capacity

“…In addition of antioxidant activity, carotenoid compounds have important biological activities, such as the stimulation of the intercellular communication, the control of cellular growth, the intercellular differentiation in growth control, cell differentiation (mutagenesis inhibition), and the modulation of immune response [6]. Results suggest that scavenging ability of the combination of carotenoids was higher than the one presented by β-carotene alone, which is in favor of the increase of antioxidant capacity of these types of compounds.…”

“…The distinctive structural characteristic of carotenoids is formed by an extensive system of double conjugated links, which consist in the alternation of simple and double carboncarbon links that get stabilized by a resonance called polyenic chain. This part of the molecule, known as chromophore, is responsible for carotenoids' capacity for light absorption in the visible region, and consequently their great capacity for coloration and as antioxidants, giving them the ability to eliminate singlet oxygen and scavenge other reactive species of oxygen [6]. A study performed by Jimenez-Escrig et al [27] showed that antioxidant capacity increased by the length of the system of the conjugated double links, and that it could be reduced with the addition of terminal rings (xanthophylls).…”

“…They quench singlet oxygen by a physical mechanism, in which the excess energy of singlet oxygen is transferred to another carotenoid's electron-rich structure [6].…”

Proximate Analysis, Antioxidant and Anti Proliferative Activities of Different Parts of Carica papaya

“…Wenkam, [35] reported that carotenoid content increased with maturation and ripeness. Andersson et al [37] observed that the content of esterified carotenoids in cherries increased during ripening, which allows esterified carotenoids to integrate more quickly to the membranes, increasing the color of the fruit and its accumulation in chromoplasts [38]. The ripe papaya can be considered as a moderate source of provitamin A.…”