Summary
Carotenoids are known to inactivate certain reactive oxygen species, such as singlet oxygen. Since antioxidants have been suggested to be one of the promising agents for cancer control, it is worthwhile to evaluate the anti-cancer potency of these carotenoids.
In the course of the study, we found that palm oil derived natural carotene which contains 60% β-carotene, 30% α-carotene and 10% others, showed potent anti-tumor activity. Therefore, we compared the activity of a- and β-carotene, and found that α-carotene showed more potent anti-proliferative effect than β-carotene. a-Carotene was also proved to have higher potency than β-carotene to suppress tumor promotion in two-stage skin and lung carcinogenesis experiments. Thus, α-carotene seems to be a promising agent for cancer control.
Further study to find other types of useful carotenoids in natural materials, especially in our daily foods, was also carried out.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Peto, R., Doll, R., Buckley, J.D. and Sporn, M.B., Can dietary beta-carotene materially reduced human cancer rate? Nature, 209, 201–208, 1981.
Hasegawa, T. and Nishino, H., Effect of carotene on biological function of cultured cells. J. Kyoto Pref.Univ. Med., 96, 737–746, 1987.
Parker, R.S., Carotenoids in human blood and tissues. J.Nutr., 119, 101–104, 1989.
Katrangi, N., Kaplan, L.A. and Stein, E.A., Separation and quantitation of serum β-carotene and other carotenoids by high performance liquid chromatography. J. Lipid Res., 25, 400–406, 1984.
Kaplan, L.A., Lau, L.A. and Stein, E.A., Carotenoid composition, concentrations, and relationships in various human organs. Clin. Physiol. Biochem., 8, 1–10, 1990.
Inayama, Y., Promoting action of glycerol in pulmonary tumorigenesis model using a single administrtion of 4- nitroquinoline 1-oxide in mice. Jpn. J. Cancer Res. (Gann), 77, 345–350, 1986.
Okuzumi, J., Antiproliferative and antitumor promoting activities of fucoxanthin, a natural carotenoid. J. Kyoto Pref. Univ. Med., 100, 551–566, 1991.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1992 Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel/Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Nishino, H. et al. (1992). Anti-Tumor and Anti-Tumor Promoting Activity of α- and β-Carotene. In: Ong, A.S.H., Packer, L. (eds) Lipid-Soluble Antioxidants: Biochemistry and Clinical Applications. Molecular and Cell Biology Updates. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7432-8_19
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7432-8_19
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Basel
Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-7434-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-7432-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive