The Role of Carotenoids in Health and Disease

Carotenoids are naturally occurring pigments found in most fruits and vegetables, plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria, and have a range of functions in human health. They primarily exert antioxidant effects, but individual carotenoids may also act through other mechanisms. Recently, a significant amount of research has focused on the reactions between carotenoids and free radicals and the ability of carotenoids to prevent the development of diseases caused by toxic free radicals. The development of various diseases, including infarction, cerebral thrombosis, and tumors, has been, in part, attributed to the action of free radicals and toxic forms of oxygen. No less significant are the membrane-stabilizing and immunostimulating functions of carotenoids, as well as their pro-vitamin A activity.

This Special Issue, “The Role of Carotenoids in Health and Disease” published by the International Journal of Molecular Sciences includes contributions that assess state-of-the-art research as well as future developments in the field of carotenoid studies. Topics include, but are not limited to, the health benefits of carotenoids, the antioxidant activity of carotenoids, carotenoids in eye diseases, supramolecular complexes of carotenoids, carotenoid–membrane interactions, etc.