THE EFFECT OF NATURAL CAROTENOID (PALM FRUIT CAROTENE) INTAKE ON SKINLIPID-PEROXIDATION IN HAIRLESS MICE

To study the effect of palm fruit carotene intake on skin lipid peroxi dation, hairless mice were given ad libitum palm fruit carotene, beta- carotene, or vehicle emulsions for 15 weeks in which the carotene (0.0 05%, w/w) was suspended in drinking water, and then their dorsal skin was exposed to ultraviolet ray (W). The carotene content of the skin w as increased by the oral intake of palm fruit carotene or beta-caroten e. In carotene-drinking mice, before the UV irradiation, the amount of thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS) in the skin was lower than that of control (carotene untreated) mice. The skin TBARS immedi ately after the UV irradiation was lower in carotene-treated mice than in control mice. At 24 h after irradiation, the skin TBARS of mice th at orally received palm fruit carotene was lower than that of beta-car otene mice. Immediately after the UV irradiation, the skin carotene co ntent transiently decreased but gradual recovery was observed at 48 h. In palm fruit carotene-treated mice, the rate of carotene recovery af ter UV irradiation was higher than in beta-carotene-treated mice. Reti nol found in the skin had also decreased after UV irradiation, and rec overed gradually in both carotene-drinking groups within 48 h. These r esults suggested that the carotene intake, especially palm fruit carot ene, prevented skin lipid peroxidation in hairless mice.