Reaction and Scavenging Mechanism of β-Carotene and Zeaxanthin with Reactive Oxygen Species.

In order to investigate chemical scavenging mechanism of singlet oxygen, superoxide anion radical, and hydroxyl radical by carotenoids, reaction products obtained by reacting beta-carotene or zeaxanthin with singlet oxygen, superoxide anion radical, and hydroxyl radical were analyzed by LC/PDA ESI-MS, and ESR spectrometry. beta-Carotene endoperoxides were identified as the major reaction products of beta-carotene and singlet oxygen, while beta-carotene epoxides were the major reaction products of beta-carotene and superoxide anion or hydroxyl radical. Similar results to those for beta-carotene were obtained with zeaxanthin.