 Canthaxanthin
Scientific Study
CAROTENOIDS
In order to understand the functions of
Canthaxanthin and beta carotene, an understanding of the group of
molecules called the carotenoids is necessary. Carotenoids are
biological pigments that are both the coloring of living organisms
and the necessary molecules needed for important metabolic
reactions. The are distributed ubiquitously in leaves, flowers,
fruit and roots of plants. Carotenoids are also found in many
animals, especially in marine invertebrates. They tend to accumulate
in brightly colored feathers of tropical birds. All carotenoids that
are found in animals are ultimately derived from plant or algae.
Carotenoids are potent antioxidant molecules that protect plants
from damage caused by singlet and triplet oxygen produced by
ultraviolet rays and photosynthetic metabolism. They are free
radical scavengers that prevent harmful uncontrolled oxidation chain
reactions. Carotenoids also protect plants from direct ultraviolet
damage by absorbing high-energy ultraviolet photons and dissipating
the energy along their hydrocarbon chains. Mutant plants that
contain no carotenoids soon die due to the ultraviolet induced
damage to the chlorophyll. This beautiful array of orange, yellow
and red leaves in the autumn is colored by the carotenoid pigments.
The green chlorophyllis are destroyed by the cold and free radicals,
thereby unmasking the various carotenoids the leaves also contain.
The carotenoids consist of two main groups:
-
the carotenes
-
the xanthophyllis
Beta carotene is the most common carotene.
Canthaxanthin is a xanthophyllis, closely related to beta carotene.
CANTHAXANTHIN
Canthaxanthin is a naturally occurring carotenoid
found in many different plants and animals. it is the red coloring
of many fruits, vegetables, and flowers, as well as some edible
mushrooms. It gives the pink hue of the feathers of bright colored
tropical birds such as flamingos and roseate spoonbills. A few
species of pink shellfish and some ocean crustaceans such as the red
lobster contain this xanthophyll, as does the punk flesh of salmon
and the red spots on the skin of trout. Besides being a red pigment,
Canthaxanthin functions as an ultraviolet photon absorber, a singlet
and triplet oxygen quencher and a free radical deactivator
(especially in salmon). The incredible endurance of punk salmon on
their long migrations to spawning grounds may be possible due to the
antioxidant qualities of the Canthaxanthin that saturates their
bodies. They swim for thousands of miles in highly ionized water
(ionized by waterfalls and rapids).
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