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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #37601
Title: CANTHAXANTHIN DISTRIBUTION IN FERRETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH PHARMACOLOGIC DOSESOF CANTHAXANTHIN

Author
item TANG GUANGWEN - TUFTS-HNRCA
item BLANCO M C - UNIV OF CHICAGO
item FOX JAMES G - MIT
item RUSSELL ROBERT M - TUFTS-HNRCA

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Canthaxanthin (CX) is a natural carotene pigment common in animals and plants. While CX lacks the ability to be broken down into vitamin A by the body unlike other related pigments, certain anti-cancer effects of the substance have been reported. CX may exert an anti-tumor activity through its antioxidation properties or, rather, its enhancement of cell to cell communication. Although synthetic CX is used for coloring food and "tanning" skin, its use has caused concern because of its association with eye disease. In a previous study, we reported that the ferret is able to absorb CX. Our present research reports the effects in ferrets of 5 daily oral gavages (a procedure of feeding directly to the stomach via a tube) per week of pharmacological doses of CX (a dose con- taining a higher amount of CX than could be derived from diet) into the ferrets for 24 months. CX concentrations were highest in liver, highly concentrated in fat, lung, and small intestine, and less concentrated in spleen and adrenal gland. Our data show that the ferrets are able to limit the absorption and distribution of large amounts of CX into the body without apparent toxicity. Also, the present study reports the effects of pharmacological doses of CX on the storage of other sub- stances broken down by the body into nutrients as well as different compounds related to CX in various tissue sites.

Technical Abstract: Twenty-six spayed female ferrets (two mos. of age) were used in this study. Ferrets were assigned to receive a standard diet and a gavage of 50 mg/kg body weight per day of canthaxanthin (CX) or a gavage of placebo 5 days per week. After two years of feeding CX beatlets, the ferrets were able to limit the absorption and distribution of large amounts of CX into the body without apparent toxicity. Serum CX levels in CX fed group increased from 0 at baseline to 42.01 +/- 6.32 nmol/L trans CX and 82.40 +/- 9.83 nmol/L cis CX at 12 months. CX concentra- tions were highest in liver, highly concentrated in fat, lung, and small intestine, and less concentrated in spleen and adrenal gland. Liver CX was composed 30% trans CX and 70% cis CX. Unlike serum and liver, extrahepatic tissues contained higher levels of trans CX than of cis CX. The lung had the highest percentage of trans CX (88%) al- though this tissue showed the highest interanimal variation of CX concentrations. There was no CX detected in ferret retinas and irises obtained at 6, 12, and 18 months (n = 2 from each group) after CX supplementation. The sum of alpha-carotene, trans beta-carotene, and cis beta-carotenes detected in livers was significantly higher in the CX fed group than in the placebo fed group but not significantly higher when compared as individual carotene. However alpha-tocopherol levels in the livers and lungs of the ferrets fed CX were significantly lower than those fed placebo. Similarly, CX supplementation resulted in signifi- cantly less lutein in fat of the ferrets fed CX than that of the ferrets fed placebo. Levels of retinoids (retinol and retinyl esters) in tissues of the ferrets fed CX were not different from the placebo fed group.