Department of Biochemistry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.
Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2009 Jun;60(4):352-7. doi: 10.1080/09637480801992484. Epub 2008 Jun 27.
Over-consumption of absorbable carotenoids causes hypercarotenemia. Although hypercarotenemia is detected in Sri Lanka, a detailed study on this condition has not been carried out previously. Two millilitres of venous blood was drawn from hypercarotenemic patients (n=8) and examined by high-performance liquid chromatography for carotenoids and vitamin A. A common high-performance liquid chromatographic pattern in serum was shown by six of the cases with beta-carotene (9.9-35.7 microg/dl), beta-cryptoxanthin and monohydroxy metabolites collectively (5.3-48.5 microg/dl), and six to eight metabolites of dihydroxy, trihydroxy and polyhydroxy metabolites (22.5-282.1 microg/dl). Vitamin A levels were within the normal range (32-61 microg/dl). However, two cases identified were abnormal. The first of these showed low beta-carotene (3.5 microg/dl) and no beta-cryptoxanthin and monohydroxy metabolites, but normal dihydroxy, trihydroxy and polyhydroxy metabolites (128.2 microg/dl). However, the vitamin A level was high (75.2 microg/dl). The other case showed high beta-carotene (212.3 microg/dl) and beta-cryptoxanthin (49.3 microg/dl) but no normal monohydroxy, dihydroxy, trihydroxy and polyhydroxy metabolites. Instead there was an atypical metabolite (343.9 microg/dl). According to the present study, excessive intake of boiled, homogenized carrot and ripe papaw is the main causative factor for hypercarotenemia. Over-consumption of carotenoids-rich plant foods may be complicated in the case of individuals having defects of either the control of the 15,15'-dioxygenase activity or metabolism of carotenoids.
过量摄入可吸收的类胡萝卜素会导致高胡萝卜素血症。尽管在斯里兰卡已经检测到高胡萝卜素血症，但以前没有对此病症进行详细研究。从高胡萝卜素血症患者（n=8）中抽取 2 毫升静脉血，并用高效液相色谱法检测类胡萝卜素和维生素 A。6 例患者的血清中显示出共同的高效液相色谱图谱，β-胡萝卜素（9.9-35.7μg/dl）、β-隐黄质和单羟基代谢物共同存在（5.3-48.5μg/dl），二羟基、三羟基和多羟基代谢物的六至八种代谢物（22.5-282.1μg/dl）。维生素 A 水平在正常范围内（32-61μg/dl）。然而，有两种情况异常。其中一种表现为β-胡萝卜素低（3.5μg/dl），β-隐黄质和单羟基代谢物不存在，但二羟基、三羟基和多羟基代谢物正常（128.2μg/dl）。然而，维生素 A 水平较高（75.2μg/dl）。另一种情况表现为β-胡萝卜素高（212.3μg/dl）和β-隐黄质（49.3μg/dl），但正常的单羟基、二羟基、三羟基和多羟基代谢物不存在。相反，有一种非典型代谢物（343.9μg/dl）。根据本研究，过量摄入煮熟、均质化的胡萝卜和成熟木瓜是高胡萝卜素血症的主要原因。在控制 15,15'-加氧酶活性或类胡萝卜素代谢存在缺陷的个体中，富含类胡萝卜素的植物性食物的过量摄入可能会变得复杂。
