Identification of lutein, a dietary antioxidant carotenoid in guinea pig tissues.

ABSTRACT

Lutein, a dietary carotenoid, is a well known antioxidant. The major source of this carotenoid in humans is diet. We report here the presence of lutein, a dietary carotenoid in several guinea pig tissues (in decreasing order liver>spleen>lung>>testis>kidney>plasma>eye but not in white adipose tissue). The presence of lutein in lung and other tissues may be significant in term of its antioxidant capacity of these organs.