title: Zeaxanthin and ocular health, from bench to bedside.
abstract: Cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration are known as major ocular problems which cause blindness among the elderly population worldwide. Oxidative stress plays an important role in both the initiation and progression of ocular problems and with respect to this; dietary antioxidants can serve as a therapeutic strategy for the improvement of ocular health. Zeaxanthin is known as one of the most important and common xanthophyll carotenoids, possessing multiple therapeutic effects such as strong antioxidant and pro-oxidant behaviour as well as anti-inflammatory effects. A growing body of literature shows that zeaxanthin mitigates ocular problems and suppresses oxidative stress in the retinal tissues. This paper aims to critically review the available literature regarding the beneficial effects of zeaxanthin on ocular problems with emphasis on its chemistry, bioavailability, and sources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600 025, India.
authors.forename: Ramar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manikandan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613 401, India. Electronic address: raman@biotech.sastra.edu.
authors.forename: Raman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thiagarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600 025, India.
authors.forename: Ganesh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goutham
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600 025, India.
authors.forename: Munusamy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arumugam
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Annai Veilankanni's College for Women, Chennai 600 015, India.
authors.forename: Manikandan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beulaja
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Farmacia, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rastrelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plants Unit, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Skalicka-Woźniak
authors.affiliation: Pharmacognosy Research Laboratories, Medway School of Science, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham-Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK.
authors.forename: Solomon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Habtemariam
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, 06330, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilkay Erdogan
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Orhan
authors.affiliation: Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Fazel
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Nabavi
authors.affiliation: Applied Biotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: Nabavi208@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nabavi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D001682:Biological Availability; D002386:Cataract; D004032:Diet; D005901:Glaucoma; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D065146:Zeaxanthins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D065146:Zeaxanthins
keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; Cataract; Ocular problems; Oxidative stress; Zeaxanthin