Igielska-Kalwat Joanna, Gościańska Joanna, Nowak Izabela
Pracownia Chemii Stosowanej, Wydział Chemii Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu.
Postepy Hig Med Dosw (Online). 2015 Apr 7;69:418-28. doi: 10.5604/17322693.1148335.
Human organisms have many defence mechanisms able to neutralise the harmful effects of the reactive species of oxygen. Antioxidants play an important role in reducing the oxidative damage to the human organism. Carotenoids are among the strongest antioxidants. They have 11 coupled double bonds, so they can be classified as polyisoprenoids, show low polarity and can occur in acyclic, monocyclic or bicyclic forms. The carotenoids of the strongest antioxidant properties are lycopene, lutein, astaxanthin and β-carotene. Carotenoids with strong antioxidant properties have found wide application in medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. These compounds are highly active against both reactive oxygen species and free radicals. Comparing β-carotene, astaxanthin and lycopene with other antioxidants (e.g. vitamin C and E), it can be concluded that these compounds have higher antioxidant activity, e.g. against singlet oxygen. Astaxanthin is a stronger antioxidant compared to β-carotene, vitamin E and vitamin C, respectively 54, 14 and 65 times. Carotenoids have a salutary effect on our body, making it more resistant and strong to fight chronic diseases. The purpose of this article is to review the literature concerning free radicals and their adverse effects on the human body and carotenoids, as strong, natural antioxidants.
人体拥有许多防御机制，能够中和活性氧物种的有害影响。抗氧化剂在减少对人体的氧化损伤方面发挥着重要作用。类胡萝卜素是最强的抗氧化剂之一。它们有11个共轭双键，因此可归类为聚异戊二烯类，极性低，可呈无环、单环或双环形式。抗氧化性能最强的类胡萝卜素是番茄红素、叶黄素、虾青素和β-胡萝卜素。具有强抗氧化性能的类胡萝卜素已在医疗、制药和化妆品行业得到广泛应用。这些化合物对活性氧物种和自由基都具有高度活性。将β-胡萝卜素、虾青素和番茄红素与其他抗氧化剂（如维生素C和E）进行比较，可以得出结论，这些化合物具有更高的抗氧化活性，例如对单线态氧的抗氧化活性。与β-胡萝卜素、维生素E和维生素C相比，虾青素是一种更强的抗氧化剂，分别强54倍、14倍和65倍。类胡萝卜素对我们的身体有有益的影响，使身体更具抵抗力，更能抵御慢性疾病。本文的目的是综述有关自由基及其对人体的不利影响以及类胡萝卜素（作为强大的天然抗氧化剂）的文献。
