Lutein is a dietary carotenoid that is present in most fruits and vegetables as well as human plasma, breast milk, organs/tissues, and ocular tissues. Numerous epidemiological and experimental studies in the past decade have concluded that dietary lutein and several other ocular carotenoids play an important role in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a retinal disorder that is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. and the Western World. Khachik et al. have also shown while lutein and zeaxanthin (a regio-isomer of lutein) are the only carotenoids found in the human macula, a diverse range of other dietary carotenoids including a -cryptoxanthin and b -cryptoxanthin are present in other ocular tissues (retinal pigment epithelium, ciliary body, iris, and lens). In addition to protection against AMD, these dietary carotenoids may also prevent other ocular diseases such as cataract and glaucoma by functioning as antioxidants and/or as optical filters. a -Cryptoxanthin and b -cryptoxanthin, as measured in plasma of human subjects, have been associated with reduction in blood pressure in an Oxford University large intervention trial. Healthy and diseased subjects have also been studied in a variety of prospective trials to correlate b -cryptoxanthin levels with cardiovascular parameters. Inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and fibrinogen have also been linked to low serum b -cryptoxanthin levels. There have also been some preliminary studies looking at the effect of b -cryptoxanthin on bone growth and the inhibition of bone re-absorption. In vitro studies have shown a positive effect of b -cryptoxanthin increasing bone calcium and enhancing bone alkaline phosphatase. Similar to lutein, total synthesis of a -cryptoxanthin and b -cryptoxanthin on laboratory scale has been proved to be extremely difficult and costly and consequently this approach cannot be applied to industrial production of these carotenoids.
In addition to their biological importance mentioned earlier, b -cryptoxanthin and a -cryptoxanthin can also serve as dietary supplements and/or as food coloring additives. b -Cryptoxanthin is also a precursor of vitamin A and can impart its biological activity by conversion to vitamin A in humans. The commercial availability of b -cryptoxanthin and a -cryptoxanthin allows scientists to conduct animal studies and human intervention trials with these dietary carotenoids to investigate their efficacy in disease prevention.
Dr. Fred Khachik, a 2000 inventor of the year for Life Sciences, was honored with a prestigious Industrial Collaboration award from the Council for Chemical Researchon April 11, 2005. Dr. Khachik, in partnership with Kemin Health, has developed several processes for synthesizing carotenoids, which may be used as treatment for age-related macular degeneration. In December 2006, Kemin is expected to launch Dr. Khachik's second product.
