title: Hydrophilic carotenoid amphiphiles: methods of synthesis and biological applications.
abstract: Carotenoid bioactivity, namely the quenching of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other excited-state oxidants, suggests significant clinical potential for these natural products. However, a thorough therapeutic evaluation of the carotenoids has been hampered by limited water-solubility and/or water-dispersibility ("hydrophilicity") as well as poor bioavailability. Hydrophilic carotenoid derivatives have been designed and prepared for parenteral administration. Synthetic methods, selected physical characteristics, and potential biological applications of these novel therapeutics will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Hawaii Biotech, Inc., 99-193 Aiea Heights Drive, Suite 200, Aiea, Hawaii 96701, USA.
authors.forename: Bente Jeanette
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Foss
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nadolski
authors.forename: Samuel F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Lockwood
mesh_terms: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015394:Molecular Structure
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D002338:Carotenoids