Photosynthesis is the conversion of light energy into chemical energy utilized by plants, many algae, and cyanobacteria. However, each photosynthetic organism must be able to dissipate the light radiation that exceeds its capacity for carbon dioxide...

Xanthophylls (originally phylloxanthins) are yellow pigments from the carotenoid group. Their molecular structure is based on carotenes; contrary to the carotenes, some hydrogen atoms are substituted by hydroxyl groups and/or some pairs of hydrogen...

Factors That Influence the Bioavailablity of Xanthophylls1,2 KEY WORDS: * bioavailability * lutein xanthophyus * zeaxanthin Introduction Epidemiologic and animal studies have demonstrated that carotenoid-rich diets are associated with a number of health benefits (1). The potential health benefits of carotenoids,...

Possible Biologic Mechanisms for a Protective Role of Xanthophylls1 ABSTRACT This contribution surveys the evidence linking the presence of the two xanthophylls, lutein and zeaxanthin, to a protective role in the macular region of the retina. Although the evidence is still associative in...