Risk Factors for Nuclear and Cortical Cataracts: A Hospital Based Study.

Purpose: To evaluate risk factors associated with nuclear and cortical cataracts among a hospital based sample of subjects in Southern India.

Methods: In this hospital-based study, 3,549 subjects including 2,090 male and 1,459 female individuals aged 45 years and over were randomly screened for nuclear and cortical cataracts. Lens opacity was graded and classified after pupil dilation using the lens opacities classification system (LOCS) III at the slit lamp.

Dietary Components Affect the Plasma and Tissue Levels of Lutein in Aged Rats with Lutein Deficiency--A Repeated Gavage and Dietary Study.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to find out the influence of selected dietary components on plasma and tissue response of repeated micellar and dietary lutein in aged rats with lutein deficiency. In repeated (16 d) gavage study, micellar lutein was co-ingested with either phosphatidylcholine (PC), lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lysoPC), β-carotene, dietary fiber or vegetable fat (3% soybean oil). In dietary study, rats were fed (4 wk) semi-synthetic diet either with lutein + PC, lutein + dietary fiber or B.

Lutein derived fragments exhibit higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties than lutein in lipopolysaccharide induced inflammation in rats.

In the present study, we appraise the anti-inflammatory efficacy of lutein oxidative degradation derivatives mediated through UV-irradiation over lutein in counteracting the inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rats (n = 5 per group). UV-irradiated lutein fragments were identified as anhydrolutein (B, C40H54O), 2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexa-1,4-dienylium (M1, C9H13), (2E,4E,6E,8E)-9-(4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-1-1en-1-yl)-3,7-dimethylnona-2,4,6,8-tetraen-1-ylium (M2, C20H29O), 4-[(1E,3E,5E,7E)-3,7,-dimethyldeca-1,3,5,7-tetraen-1-yl]-3,5,5-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-ol (M3, C21H30O) and zeaxanthin (M4, C40H56O) and its isomers as 13'-Z zeaxanthin, 13'-Z lutein, all-trans zeaxanthin, and 9-Z lutein. Induction of inflammation by LPS significantly increased the production of nitrites (3.

Dietary fatty acid determines the intestinal absorption of lutein in lutein deficient mice.

The present investigation was undertaken to study the influence of dietary lipids [olive (OO), coconut (CNO), groundnut (GNO), soybean (SBO), sunflower (SFO), rice bran (RBO), corn (CO), palm (PO), fish (FO) oils] on the bioavailability and antioxidant property of lutein in lutein deficient (LD) mice. Lutein (200μM) was dispersed in dietary lipids and administered to LD mice for a period of 15days. The plasma lutein levels were found to be highest in OO (82%) and CNO (68%), when compared to the control (mixed micelle) group.

Dietary and lifestyle risk factors associated with age-related macular degeneration: a hospital based study.

Aim: To establish the frequency, associations and risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in hospital population of South India.

Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional hospital based study, 3549 subjects (2090 men and 1459 women) above 45 years of age were screened randomly for AMD. Participants underwent ocular evaluation and were interviewed for lifestyle variables and dietary intake of carotenoids by structured food frequency questionnaire.

Acute and subacute toxicity assessment of lutein in lutein-deficient mice.

Dietary lutein consumption is lower than the actual recommended allowances to prevent macular degeneration; thus dietary lutein supplements have been recommended. This study aimed to investigate potential adverse effect of lutein from Tagetes erecta in lutein-deficient (LD) male mice. Preliminary acute toxicity study revealed that the LD50 exceeded the highest dose of 10000 mg/kg BW.

Olive oil improves the intestinal absorption and bioavailability of lutein in lutein-deficient mice.

Purpose: To investigate the influence of olive (OO), groundnut (GNO), soybean (SBO), sunflower (SFO), rice bran (RBO), corn (CO), palm (PO) oil or mixed micelle (control) on absorption kinetics and bioavailability of lutein in lutein-deficient mice. Additional aim was to correlate the activity of intestinal triacylglycerol lipase with intestinal and plasma lutein levels.

Methods: After induction of lutein deficiency, mice (n = 165) were divided into eight groups (OO, SFO, GNO, RBO, PO, CO, SBO and control; n = 20/group) and the remaining (n = 5) were used as baseline (0 h).