A marginal contribution of selected carotenoids to the supression of UV-irradiation-induced lecithin peroxidation in hexane solution

• Main Authors: Cvetković Dragan, Marković Dejan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Serbian Chemical Society 2007-01-01
• Series: Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society
• Subjects: carotenoids; lipids; uv-irradiation; bleaching; peroxidation
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0352-5139/2007/0352-51390703235C.pdf

The aim of this work was to study the anticipated antioxidant role of four selected carotenoids in mixtures with lecithin lipoidal compounds in hexane solution, under continuous UV-irradiation in three different ranges (UV-A, UV-B and UV-C). Two carotenes (b-carotene and licopene) and two xantophylls (lutein and neoxanthin) were employed to control the lipid peroxidation process generated by UV-irradiation, by scavenging the involved free radicals. The results show that while carotenoids undergo a substantial, structural dependent destruction (bleaching), which is highly dependent on energy of the UV-photons, their contribution to the expected suppression of lecithin peroxidation is of marginal importance, not exceeding a maximum of 20%. The marginal antioxidant behaviour has been attributed to a highly unordered hexane solution, where the scavenging action of the carotenoids becomes less competitive.