Potential use of bixin beyond function as a natural colourant in food and cosmetics.

Bixin is a carotenoid found in the covering of seeds and widely used as a dye, mainly in food products and cosmetics. This compound is insoluble in water, but technologies have been developed for its use in aqueous preparations, as well as a component for new formulations to disperse other lipophilic ingredients. It has recently aroused the interest of researchers in areas such as Pharmacology, Endocrinology and Oncology, but also new applications in Food Technology.

Effect of bixin and norbixin on the expression of cytochrome P450 in HepG2 cell line.

Bixin and norbixin are the main components of annatto, which is extracted from Bixa orellana and largely used as natural colorant in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Annatto can enhance CYP1A and CYP2B activity in rats; however, the inducer effect has not been investigated in human cell lines. In this study, the ability of bixin and norbixin to induce the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes was assessed in HepG2 human hepatoma cell line.