HYDROCARBON CAROTENOIDS OF THE C40 SERIES 545 



and solitaire palm (Ptycosperma elegans),^^^ and the seeds of the blue pas- 

 sion flower {Passi flora caerulea) .^^^ 



Many flowers owe a part or all of their color to lycopene, although this 

 pigment is less common than are the carotenes or xanthophylls in this part 

 of the plant. It occurs along with carotene in the yellowish red pigment in 

 the pot-marigold {Calendula ofllcinalisy^ and in the coloring matter of the 

 yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus) . In the case of the monkey flower {Mimulus 

 longiflorus Grant), it is associated with 7- and pro-7-carotenes.^^ Lycopene 

 likewise comprises a considerable portion of the pigment of the flowers of 

 the cape marigold {Di?norphotheca auraniiaca) ,^^^ of the purple-blue sweet 

 pea {Lathyrus odoratus) j^^"^ of the saffron crocus {Crocus sativus),^^^ and of 

 the treasure-flower gazania {Gazania rigens).^^'^ Other plant sources in- 

 clude the dodders {Cuscuta subinclusa and C. salina)^^^ The presence of 

 lycopene has likewise been reported in a variety of bacteria, including the 

 air- and water-borne coccus, Sarcina aurantiaca,^^^ Bacillus Lomhardo 

 Pellegrini and B. Grassherger,^'^^ as well as in a Thiocystis species (sulfur 

 bacteria). ^**'^^^ 



Although lycopene is largely confined to the vegetable kingdom, it has 

 been found in a number of animal products. Zechmeister and Tuzson'^*--^- 

 were able to prepare small amounts of this pigment from human fat as well 

 as from human liver. ^^^ The latter finding has been confirmed by Will- 

 staedt and Lindquist.'^^ Several investigators^^*-^^* have reported the 

 presence of lycopene in human sera. As might be expected from the fact 

 that it has been isolated from butter, ^^^ it is also found in milk. The occur- 

 rence of lycopene in animal tissues is in all probability adventitious, and is 

 related only to the animal's consumption of this carotenoid in the food. 

 Since it is not readily broken down, it is stored for an interval in the various 

 tissues. 



Lubimenko-^^ has made a monumental study of the distribution of lyco- 

 pene in the plant kingdom. The large quantity of this pigment found in 

 palm oiP^^'^^^'^*^ is evidence of its fat solubility and of its tendency to 



22« J. Zimmermaiiii, Rec. trap, chim., 51, 1001-1003 (1932). 



"9 P. Karrer, F. Riibel, and F. M. Ai-mstrong, Helv. Chim. Acta, 19, 28-29 (1936). 



"« V. Reader, Biochem. J., 19, 1039-1046 (1926). 



"1 P. Karrer and U. Solmssen, Helv. Chim. Acta, 19, 1019-1024 (1936). 



"2 L. Zechmeister and P. Tuzson, Bull. soc. chim. biol., 17, 1110-1118 (1935). 



"3 L. Zechmeister and P. Tuzson, Z. phi/siol. Chem., 234, 241-244 (1935). 



"^ E. V. Daniel and G. J. Sc^ietf, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med., 33, 26-30 (1935). 



235 E. V. Daniel and T. Beres, Z. physiol. Chem., 238, 160-162 (1936). 



"6 A. E. Oillam and I. iM. Heill)ron, Biochem. J., 29, 834-836 (1935). 



^^ V. N. Lubimenko, Rev. gen. botari., 25, 475-493 (1914); Compt. read., 15S, 510-513 

 (1914). 



"8 P. Karrer, II. v. Euler, and II. Hellstrom, Chem. Zentr., 1932, T, 1800. Cited by P. 

 Karrer and E. .Jucker, Carotirwide, Birkhjiuser, Basle, 1948, p. 116. 



"9 R. F. Hunter and R. M. Krakcnberger, Biochem. J., 40, 492-493 (1946). 



