The effect of natural carotenoid (palm fruit carotene) intake on skin lipid peroxidation in hairless mice.

To study the effect of palm fruit carotene intake on skin lipid peroxidation, hairless mice were given ad libitum palm fruit carotene, beta-carotene, or vehicle emulsions for 15 weeks in which the carotene (0.005%, w/w) was suspended in drinking water, and then their dorsal skin was exposed to ultraviolet ray (UV). The carotene content of the skin was increased by the oral intake of palm fruit carotene or beta-carotene. In carotene-drinking mice, before the UV irradiation, the amount of thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS) in the skin was lower than that of control (carotene untreated) mice. The skin TBARS immediately after the UV irradiation was lower in carotene-treated mice than in control mice. At 24 h after irradiation, the skin TBARS of mice that orally received palm fruit carotene was lower than that of beta-carotene mice. Immediately after the UV irradiation, the skin carotene content transiently decreased but gradual recovery was observed at 48 h. In palm fruit carotene-treated mice, the rate of carotene recovery after UV irradiation was higher than in beta-carotene-treated mice. Retinol found in the skin had also decreased after UV irradiation, and recovered gradually in both carotene-drinking groups within 48 h. These results suggested that the carotene intake, especially palm fruit carotene, prevented skin lipid peroxidation in hairless mice.