Antioxidant activity, mutagenicity/anti-mutagenicity, and clastogenicity/anti-clastogenicity of lutein from marigold flowers

High dietary intake of lutein has been associated with risk reduction of many chronic diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Lutein in food is generally regarded as safe. However, information on the toxicological and beneficial effect of lutein at higher doses is limited. In this study, large amount of lutein was extracted and purified from marigold flower (Tagetes erecta L.). The antioxidant activity of lutein was examined by using the photochemiluminescence (PCL) assay and the β-carotene–linoleic acid model system (β-CLAMS). Lutein showed a greater antioxidant activity than the other two common carotenoids, β-carotene and lycopene. The mutagenicity and anti-mutagenicity of lutein at 334, 668 and 1335 μg/plate were examined using the standard Ames test in the presence and absence of S9 mix. Lutein was not only found to be non-mutagenic at all doses, but it showed an anti-mutagenic effect in a dose-dependent manner. Similar results were found in a chromosome aberration test using Chinese hamster ovary cells for the evaluation of clastogenicity and anti-clastogenicity of lutein at 66.8, 133.5 and 267.0 mg/L. Our findings provided scientific evidence for the safe use and health beneficial effects of lutein.