β-Carotene is an organic compound - a terpenoid, a red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits. As a carotene with beta-rings at both ends, it is the most common form of carotene. It is a precursor (inactive form) of vitamin A. Being highly conjugated, it is deeply colored, and as a hydrocarbon lacking functional groups, it is very lipophilic.
The structure was deduced by Karrer et al. In nature, β-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A via th...
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β-Carotene is an organic compound - a terpenoid, a red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits. As a carotene with beta-rings at both ends, it is the most common form of carotene. It is a precursor (inactive form) of vitamin A. Being highly conjugated, it is deeply colored, and as a hydrocarbon lacking functional groups, it is very lipophilic.
The structure was deduced by Karrer et al. In nature, β-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A via the action of beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase. β-Carotene is also the substance in carrots that colours them orange. β-Carotene is biosynthesized from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate.
Plant carotenoids are the primary dietary source of pro-vitamin A worldwide, with β-carotene as the most well-known pro-vitamin A carotenoid. Others inlcude α-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin. Carotenoids are absorbed into the small intestine by passive diffusion. One molecule of β-carotene can be cleaved by a specific intestinal enzyme into two molecules of vitamin A....
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