Carotenoid lutein: a promising candidate for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.

Carotenoids play a major role in scavenging singlet oxygen and peroxyl radicals in human. Several studies have shown that lutein and zeaxanthin help to protect the skin and eyes from photodamage and offer several other health benefits. The potential benefits of using lutein as nutritional or cosmetic ingredient are reviewed in this paper. Recent advances in health and cosmetic care provided by lutein are also discussed. This review also mentions various drug carrier systems that have been studied for the delivery of lutein.