CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW MINOR CAROTENOID FROM ANNATTO

Among the natural colorants, annatto is the most used in Brazil. However, the use of annatto extracts has been under control in relation to the amount allowed and the varieties of products in which the extracts can be added. One of the reasons is the insufficient knowledge about the composition of annatto and its preparations. In the present study, a new carotenoid was isolated in trace amount and purified through semi-preparative column, thin layer and high performance liquid chromatography. Its structure was partially elucidated by the combined information from spectra of UV/visible, mass and proton nuclear magnetic resonance, including two dimensional technique). This is the first report on the occurrence of a high molecular weight alcohol linked to the carotenoid (9'Z)-apo-6'-lycopenoic.Entre os corantes naturais, o urucum é o mais utilizado no Brasil. Entretanto, o emprego de seus extratos tem sofrido restrições no que se refere à quantidade permitida bem como à gama de produtos a que pode ser adicionado. Uma das alegações é que pouco se conhece sobre a composição do urucum e de suas preparações. No presente estudo um novo carotenóide foi isolado de sementes de urucum em quantidades traços e purificado por cromatografia semi-preparativa em coluna aberta, camada delgada e líquida de alta eficiência. A sua estrutura foi parcialmente elucidada através das informações combinadas provenientes dos espectros no UV/visível, de massas e de ressonância magnética nuclear de próton, incluindo técnicas bidimensionais. Este é o primeiro relato da ocorrência de um álcool de alto peso molecular ligado ao carotenóide (9'Z)-apo-6'-licopenóico.19319

Different Carotenoids and Potential Information Content of Red Coloration of Male Three-Spined Stickleback

Female sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) use the red coloration of males as a criterion for mate choice. Redder males are more attractive. However, males often differ not only in the intensity of their coloration (from dull to bright red) but also in color quality (from yellowish to purple-red). We investigated whether the red coloration of the stickleback is actually a multiple signal made by several pigments. We kept wild caught males singly in tanks until they had built a nest and were ready to accept females. Then, we took standard photographs and measured their colors by spectrometer analyses of the slides and by descriptions of human observers. These two measurements were highly correlated. When analyzing the carotenoid content of the sticklebacks' skin we found two groups of carotenoids (astaxanthin and tunaxanthin/lutein) that were quantified for each individual. The differences in color observed in the fish are correlated to this pigment quantification. Redder fish have more astaxanthin in their skin than yellowish fish, while the color of the yellowish fish appears to be made by tunaxanthin/lutein. Our results suggest that the red coloration of sticklebacks is a multiple trait that is made of at least two different carotenoids. This opens the possibility that male sticklebacks signal more detailed information to females than a one-dimensional trait would allo

Isolierung und Charakterisierung der Hauptcarotinoide aus Blütenblättern von Brassica napus

From the yellow petals of rape (Brassica napus) five major carotenoids have been isolated. Based on UV/NIS, CD, 400-MHz 1H-NMR, and mass spectra, they were identified as (9'Z)-neoxanthin, (all-E)- and (9Z)-violaxanthin, and (8'R)- and (8'S)-luteoxanthin

Isolation of Capsanthone ((all-E,3R,5'R)-3-Hydroxy-β,κ-carotene-3',6'-dione) from Paprika (Capsicum annuum)

From different species of paprika (Capsicum annuum) capsanthone (1) was isolated and characterized as (all-E,3R,5'R)-3-hydroxy-β,κ-carotene-3',6'-dione