Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Major/Program
Chemistry
First Advisor's Name
John T. Landrum
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Chair
Second Advisor's Name
Alexander Mebel
Third Advisor's Name
Kevin O'Shea
Date of Defense
6-28-2007
Abstract
The present study measures the increase in serum carotenoid concentration in 30 healthy individuals after supplementation with a low dose xanthophyll ester (3 and 6 mg of lutein equivalent/per day) when compared to a placebo. Serum levels of carotenoids were measured using HPLC and showed an increase in the concentration of lutein, zeaxanthin and four lutein metabolites proportional to dose.
In order to further assess the importance of the end-group structure in carotenoids we have investigated the influence of the end-group type and functionality on the conformational energy barrier. We used the density functional method implemented on GAUSSIAN 98 to calculate the conformational energy curves for rotation of the P-ring or the E-ring relative to short polyene chains around the C6-C7 single bond. A large barrier is observed for the interconversion of conformers in the E-rings (8 kcal/mol) when compared to beta rings (2.3-3 kcal/mol).
Identifier
FI14031610
Recommended Citation
Alvarez-Calderon, Francesca, "Calculations on the end-group conformational barrier in carotenoids and a study of the bioavailability of xanthophyll esters in humans" (2007). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1272.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/1272
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