Ingredient's Bio Activity

BETA-CAROTENE (β-carotene)


ABOUT THE INGREDIENT

β-carotene is a red-orange pigment found in plants and fruits, especially carrots, sweet potato, mango, pumpkin, papaya, parsley and colorful vegetables. The name β-carotene comes from the Greek “beta” and Latin “carota” (carrot). It is the yellow/orange pigment that gives vegetables and fruits their rich colors. β-carotene was discovered by the scientist Heinrich Wilhelm Ferdinand Wackenroder, who crystallized it from carrots in 1831.

β-carotene is the most prominent member of the group of carotenoids, natural colorants that occur in the human diet. It is the most common carotenoid in the diet of mammals and has the highest conversion efficiency to vitamin A with no difference between naturally occurring and chemically synthesized β-carotene. Compared with other carotenoids, the primary role of β-carotene is its provitamin-A activity.

β-carotene is a non-polar hydrocarbon. The conjugated double bonds are responsible for its action as an antioxidant.

All-trans-β-carotene is the most suitable and important precursor for vitamin A. This is primarily due to its symmetrical structure, because all-trans-β-carotene is the only carotenoid capable of yielding 2 molecules of all-trans-retinal upon oxidative cleavage of the central 15,15´ carbon-carbon bond, which is catalyzed by the β-carotene monooxygenase.


ACTIVE COMPONENTS

β-Carotene, also known as provitamin A.


BENEFITS IN COSMETICS

 

ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES

β-carotene is a photo-protective agent that protects the skin against photosensitized lipid peroxidation such as sunburn, photoaging and erythema mediated by 1O2 (singlet oxygen) and free radicals due to UVR exposure.

β-carotene can act synergistically as an effective “radical-trapping antioxidant” in biological membranes. Due to the core system of conjugated carbon-carbon bonds, β-carotene is an efficient singlet oxygen quencher, prevents the formation of singlet oxygen by quenching excited triplet sensitizers and ROS scavenger in cellular lipid bilayer during photo-oxidation.

It neutralizes reactive oxygen species preventing oxidative damage and the propagation of the free radicals mediated chain reaction. Consequently, it inhibits the oxidation of the cellular component which alter the signal transduction pathway, damage the biomolecules and affect the integrity of the skin.