earticle

영어

β-Carotene is a red-orange color pigment abundant in many plants and fruits. Non-polar β-carotene is commonly separated from the mixture of carotenoids using an organic compound such as hexane. Carotenoids are known as a strong antioxidant which scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals. However, the instability of carotenoids is an obstacle in the use of them in a variety of biological systems. Here, we investigated the enhancement of health beneficial effect of β- carotene in the Caenorhabditis elegans animal model using synthesized derivatives of β-carotene with a great stability. When novel β-carotene derivatives were fed into animals together with foods, the life-span was pro-longed in their adulthoods. In addition to the pro-longed lifespan, the locomotion of C. elegans was more activated than that of control worms grown without novel β-carotene in spite of old age. Those anti-aging effects were due to the stable activation of antioxidant effect by novel form of β-carotene. Results imply that the stabilized form of β -carotene has a potential for health aid to suppress aging of animals and human beings.