CAROTENOLS AND OXYCAROTENOLS OF THE C« SERIES 557 



autumnalisY^^ and the buttercup {Ranunculxts acm)^"*-^^®-^^^ are common 

 flowers which also contain lutein. Other closely related species likewise 

 have this carotenol: Ranunculus ari<ensis (crowfoot or corn buttercup)'"* 

 and R. acris {steveni) (tall buttercup).-'-^ The flowers of a number of types 

 of acacia are well-known sources, including Acacia decurrens var. mollis 

 (black-green wattle), ^^* ^4. discolor (sunshine wattle), A. linifolia (flax- 

 leaf acacia), and A. loiigi folia (Sydney green acacia).'"* Other familiar 

 flowers which have the carotenol as an important component are the 

 calendula {Calendida officinalis),^^ the treasure-flower gazania (Gazania 

 rigens),^'^''^^^ the genista or woadwaxen {Genista tridentata) ,^^^ the wild 

 pansy {Viola tricolor) ,'^'^'^-'^'^'^ and the red and yellow winter aster. ^'* 

 Schunck^'^ has likewise reported lutein in the musk-plant {Mimulus 

 moschatus), the golden-chain laburnum {Laburnum anagyroides) , and the 

 coltsfoot {Tussilago farfara). Lutein in the unchanged form is also present 

 in the flowers of the Crepis aurea (orange hawksbeard),^"' along with a- 

 and /3-carotene and violaxanthin. With the exception of a-carotene, these 

 same pigments were found in the his pseudacorus (yellow iris). 



Lutein freciuently occurs in flowers in the esterified form. Thus, lutein 

 ester is present in the dandelion in conjimction with taraxanthin. The 

 ester form has also been reported by Karrer and Xotthafft'"'* in Caltha 

 palustris (marsh marigold), TrolUus europaeus (common globe-flower). 

 Ranunculus arvensis (crowfoot), and Tragopogon pratensis (salsify or goat's 

 beard). In the last instance, violaxanthin is likewise present. However, 

 the most readily available source of esterified lutein is the pod of the 

 paprika.-^* Both free and esterified luteins have been found in the mango 

 {Mangifera indica L.).^" The berries of the lily-of-the-valley {Convallaria 

 tnajalis) are another source of the esterified lutein. ^•^ 



Lutein is widely distributed in fruits. The so-called cucurbitaxanthin, 

 obtained from Cucurbita maxima (giant winter squash), has been shown 

 to be lutein; in this case the pigment occurs in conjunction with |3-carotene 

 and violaxanthin. ^"^'^"^ Other fruit sources are the following: Momordica 

 balsamina (balsam apple), ^"^'^"^ Citrus madurensis (Mediterranean man- 

 darine),^"-^"® Citrus aurantium (Seville orange), -^^ Arbutus unedo (straw- 



23« R. Kuhn and E. Lederer, Z. physiol. Chem., 213, 188-191 (1932). 

 29' R. Kuhn and H. Brockmann, Z. physiol. Chem., 213, 192-198 (1932). 

 =9* R. Kuhn and A. Winterstein, Ber., 64, 326-332 (1931). 

 2'9 P. Karrer and J. Rutechmann, Helv. Chim. Acta, 27, 1684-1690 (1944). 

 300 P. Karrer and E. .Jucker, Heir. Chim. Acta, 26, 626-630 (1943). 

 '01 P. Karrer, E. Jucker, and E. Krause-Voith, Helv. Chim. Acta, SO, 537-538 (1947). 

 302 L. Zechmeister and P. Tuzson, Ber., 67, 824-829 (1934). 

 '03 H. Suginone and K. Ueno, Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan, 6, 221-228 (1931). 

 3"< G. Tobler and F. Tohler, Ber. dent, hotan. Ges., 28, 365-375, 496-504 (1910). 

 3« B. M. Duggar, Washington Univ. Studies Sci. and Tech., 1, 22-45 (1913). Cited by 

 P. Karrer and E. Jucker, Carotinoide, Birkhauser, Basle, 1948, p. 203. 

 306 L. Zechmeister and P. Tuzson, Z. physiol. Chem., 221, 278-280 (1933). 



