抄録
Various vegetables and fruits contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, therefore, the intake of them is very important for human health. Recently, vegetables and fruits containing functional pigments, such as anthocyanins and carotenoids, have become known as remarkable “phytochemicals” to prevent various diseases. Large amounts of anthocyanins are contained in bilberry, black currant, maquiberry, and purple rice, and possess high antioxidative effects and are known to improve visual function. On the other hand, lutein and zeaxanthin belonging to the carotenoids also were reported to possess antioxidative effects, anti-inflammatory effects, and affect retinal diseases such as prevention of age-related macular degeneration.
We previously investigated the function of anthocyanins (in bilberry, purple rice, and maquiberry extracts) and carotenoids (zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, crocetin, and bixin), and observed protective effects against some retinal injuries. In our studies, bilberry, purple rice, or maquiberry extracts inhibited angiogenesis, retinal ganglion cell degeneration induced by NMDA or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and ultraviolet- and visible light-induced retinal photoreceptor cell damage. Furthermore, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, crocetin, or bixin also prevented visible light-induced retinal photoreceptor cell damage, angiogenesis, retinal ischemic damage, and retinal ganglion cell degeneration induced by oxidative stress or ER stress. This review presents previous reports and our studies, and discusses how food containing functional pigments such as anthocyanin and carotenoid are useful for eye health.
