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A comparison of lycopene and canthaxanthin absorption: Using the rat to study the absorption of non-provitamin a carotenoids

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Lipids

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to validate the use of the mesenteric lymph duct cannulated rat to study the absorption of carotenoids which do not have provitamin Activity. The absorption of two carotenoids, a hydrocarbon carotenoid (lycopene) and a xanthophyll carotenoid (canthaxanthin), were investigated. In the first experiment, lipid emulsions containing lycopene (LYC) or canthaxanthin (CTX) were continuously infused into the duodenum, and lymph was collected for analysis at 2-h intervals. The time course for absorption of carotenoids and triacylglycerol (TAG) was similar. Carotenoids and TAG reached steady-state concentrations in the lymph by 6 h. There was no evidence for a delayed release of either carotenoid from the intestine relative to TAG. During a second experiment, emulsions containing increasing concentrations of LYC or CTX (5, 10, 15, 20 μmol/L) were infused. The LYC and CTX in the lymph increased in a dose-dependent manner. The average efficiency of CTX absorption was 16% while the efficiency of LYC absorption averaged only 6%. Efficiency of carotenoid absorption was not related to concentration infused. Finally, to test whether LYC and CTX interact during absorption both were added to a lipid emulsion at equal concentrations (20 μmol/L) and infused. The carotenoids did not significantly affect each other's absorption. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the rat as an animal model to study the absorption of non-provitamin A carotenoids.

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Abbreviations

CTX:

canthaxanthin

HPLC:

high-pressure liquid chromatography

LYC:

lycopene

TAG:

triacylglycerol

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut, Roy E. Jones Bldg., Room 214, Box U-17, 06269-4017, Stors., CT

    Richard M. Clark, Lili Yao, Li She & Harold C. Furr

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  1. Richard M. Clark
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  2. Lili Yao
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  3. Li She
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  4. Harold C. Furr
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Correspondence to Richard M. Clark.

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Clark, R.M., Yao, L., She, L. et al. A comparison of lycopene and canthaxanthin absorption: Using the rat to study the absorption of non-provitamin a carotenoids. Lipids 33, 159–163 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-998-0191-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-998-0191-0

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