Dietary Components Affect the Plasma and Tissue Levels of Lutein in Aged Rats with Lutein Deficiency—A Repeated Gavage and Dietary Study.

The aim of this study was to find out the influence of selected dietary components on plasma and tissue
response of repeated micellar and dietary lutein in aged rats with lutein deficiency. In repeated (16 d) gavage study,
micellar lutein was co-ingested with either phosphatidylcholine (PC), lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lysoPC), β-carotene,
dietary fiber or vegetable fat (3% soybean oil). In dietary study, rats were fed (4 wk) semi-synthetic diet either with lutein
+ PC, lutein + dietary fiber or B. alba (lutein source) + PC. The post-prandial plasma and tissue response of lutein was
measured by HPLC. Results showed that micellar fat, PC and lysoPC significantly (P � 0.05) increased the lutein levels
in plasma (31.1%, 26.8%, and 34.9%), liver (27.4%, 29.5%, and 8.6%), and eyes (63.5%, 90.2%, and 86%) compared to the
control group (group gavaged micelles with no dietary components studied). Similarly, dietary study showed an enhanced
plasma, liver, and eye lutein levels by 44.8%, 24.1%, and 42.0% (lutein + PC group) and 51.7%, 39.8%, and 31.7% (B.alba
+ PC group), respectively compared to control. The activity of antioxidant enzymes in plasma and liver of both the
studies were also affected compared to control. Result reveals, that PC enhance the intestinal absorption of both micellar
and dietary lutein which is either in free or bound form with food matrices in aged rats with lutein deficiency. Hence,
PC at a concentration used in this study can be considered to improve the lutein bioavailability in lutein deficiency.