Benefits of plant carotenoids against age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic disease leading to blindness in older adults and poses a significant economic burden to the healthcare system. The macula is regularly exposed to light, oxidative and inflammatory stress which play a central role in AMD pathogenesis. Lutein, zeaxanthin and their isomer meso-zeaxanthin are carotenoids from plants accumulating in the human macula that scavenge light, and reduce oxidation and inflammation. This review of relevant cellular, animal and human clinical trials investigated the benefits of the plant carotenoids, as a preventative and therapeutic treatment for AMD. Factors influencing the protective effects of the carotenoids were dependent on dose and treatment duration that could be important for translational applications leading to visual improvement in AMD patients. The application of carotenoid supplementation was discussed to provide non-invasive alternatives for the prevention and treatment of AMD.