Indicaxanthin Explained

Indicaxanthin is a type of betaxanthin, a plant pigment present in beets, in Mirabilis jalapa flowers,^[1] in cacti such as prickly pears (Opuntia sp.) or the red dragonfruit (Hylocereus costaricensis). It is a powerful antioxidant.

Medical uses

It has been shown in a spectrophotometric study for patients with thalassemia, that indicaxanthin can reduce perferryl-Hb generated in solution from met-Hb and hydrogen peroxide, more effectively than either trolox (a vitamin E derivative) or vitamin C, possibly interfering with perferryl-Hb, a reactive intermediate in the hydroperoxide-dependent Hb degradation.^[2]

Indicaxanthin in antioxidant studies was more effective than Trolox at scavenging the ABTS cation radical.^[3]

See also

• Vulgaxanthin

Notes and References

1. 10.1016/S0031-9422(00)86258-5 . Pigments of centrospermae—V. : Betaxanthins from Mirabilis jalapa L. . 1965 . Piattelli . M. . Minale . L. . Nicolaus . R.A. . Phytochemistry . 4 . 6 . 817–23.
2. 10.1080/10715760600554228 . Cytoprotective effects of the antioxidant phytochemical indicaxanthin in β-thalassemia red blood cells . 2006 . Tesoriere . L. . Allegra . M. . Butera . D. . Gentile . C. . Livrea . M. A. . Free Radical Research . 40 . 7 . 753–61 . 16984002.
3. 10.1021/jf025696p . Antioxidant Activities of Sicilian Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica) Fruit Extracts and Reducing Properties of Its Betalains: Betanin and Indicaxanthin . 2002 . Butera . Daniela . Tesoriere . Luisa . Di Gaudio . Francesca . Bongiorno . Antonino . Allegra . Mario . Pintaudi . Anna Maria . Kohen . Rohn . Livrea . Maria A. . Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry . 50 . 23 . 6895–901 . 12405794. 10447/107910 . free .