title: The first isolation of enantiomeric and meso-zeaxanthin in nature.
abstract: Racemic mixtures of (3RS, 3'RS)-zeaxanthin were separated into the three optical isomers, (3R, 3'R)-zeaxanthin (1), (3R,3'S;meso)-zeaxanthin (2) and (3S,3'S)-zeaxanthin (3), by converting to their corresponding dibenzoates and by using HPLC on an optical resolution column Sumipax OA-2000. According to this procedure, it has been shown that only (1) is isolated from higher plants, shellfish, starfish, sea squirt, sea cucumber and then examined; on the other hand (1), (2) and (3) are isolated from zeaxanthin fraction of shrimp, fish and turtle examined. This is the first isolation of enantiomeric and meso-zeaxanthin in nature.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens; D002816:Chordata, Nonvertebrate; D004447:Echinodermata; D004530:Egg Yolk; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D008974:Mollusca; D010944:Plants / Q000032:analysis; D013045:Species Specificity; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D014426:Turtles; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids; C584722:meso-zeaxanthin