Canthaxanthin

Name: Canthaxanthin
Synonym: beta-Carotene-4-4'-dione
CAS: 514-78-3
Molecular Formula: C40H52O2
Molecular Weight: 564.8
Molecular Structure:
Botanical Source: Salmon or crustaceans
Major Functions:
Canthaxanthin is a naturally occurring carotenoid found in many different plants and animals. it is the red coloring of many fruits, vegetables, and flowers, as well as some edible mushrooms. It gives the pink hue of the feathers of bright colored tropical birds such as flamingos and roseate spoonbills. A few species of pink shellfish and some ocean crustaceans such as the red lobster contain this xanthophyll, as does the punk flesh of salmon and the red spots on the skin of trout. Besides being a red pigment, Canthaxanthin functions as an ultraviolet photon absorber, a singlet and triplet oxygen quencher and a free radical deactivator (especially in salmon). The incredible endurance of punk salmon on their long migrations to spawning grounds may be possible due to the antioxidant qualities of the Canthaxanthin that saturates their bodies. They swim for thousands of miles in highly ionized water (ionized by waterfalls and rapids).