Abstract
Lutein is one of the few xanthophyll carotenoids that is found in high concentration in the macula of human retina. As de novo synthesis of lutein within the human body is impossible, lutein can only be obtained from diet. It is a natural substance abundant in egg yolk and dark green leafy vegetables. Many basic and clinical studies have reported lutein’s anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties in the eye, suggesting its beneficial effects on protection and alleviation of ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, myopia, and cataract. Most importantly, lutein is categorized as Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS), posing minimal side-effects upon long term consumption. In this review, we will discuss the chemical structure and properties of lutein as well as its application and safety as a nutritional supplement. Finally, the effects of lutein consumption on the aforementioned eye diseases will be reviewed.
Highlights
There are about 850 types of carotenoids discovered and characterized in nature to date [1], very few of them are present in human tissues
Atrophic age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has a much slower progression characterized by the gradual degeneration of cells in the macula and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer, forming a geographic atrophy region where the size and border can be assessed under fundus autofluorescence imaging and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography [60]
The results indicated that individuals with the highest lutein and zeaxanthin consumption had a 65% reduction in neovascular AMD compared with those with the lowest intake [75]
Summary
There are about 850 types of carotenoids discovered and characterized in nature to date [1], very few of them are present in human tissues. Lutein and its stereoisomers zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin, are the only carotenoids present in the human retina [2]. They belong to the carotenoid class named xanthophyll, which contains oxygen and is less hydrophobic compared with the other class named carotene, which is purely hydrocarbon and more hydrophobic [3]
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