CAROTENE

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Yellow or orange-red fat-soluble pigments in plants

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("carotene" is a kind of...):

carotenoid (any of a class of highly unsaturated yellow to red pigments occurring in plants and animals)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An orange isomer of an unsaturated hydrocarbon found in many plants; is converted into vitamin A in the liver

Synonyms:

carotene; carotin; provitamin A

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("carotene" is a kind of...):

provitamin (vitamin precursor; a substance that is converted into a vitamin in animal tissues)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "carotene"):

beta-carotene (an isomer of carotene that is found in dark green and dark yellow fruits and vegetables)

Credits

Context examples:

The determination of the amount of beta-carotene present in a sample.

(Beta Carotene Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

Spinach is one of the most desirable leafy vegetables with high levels of beta-carotene (provitamin A), lutein, folate, vitamin C, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium.

(World's First True Red Spinach Variety Released, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins A, C, and E, and other natural and manufactured substances.

(Antioxidant, NCI Dictionary)

Carotenoid having a chemical structure similar to beta-carotene with hydroxyl groups at the number 3 and 3' carbon atoms and carbonyl (C=O) functions at the number 4 and 4' carbon atoms.

(Astaxanthin, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)

Carotenoid having a chemical structure similar to beta-carotene with addition of a hydroxyl group at the number 3 carbon atom.

(Beta-cryptoxanthin, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)

Although the exact composition of nutrients in bee pollen differs depending on various factors, in general it contains important nutrients including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carotenes, antioxidants, trace elements, carbohydrates as well as other unidentified substances.

(Bee Pollen, NCI Thesaurus)

An arbitrary unit of measurement of the specific biological activity of vitamin A, defined by the International Conference for Unification of Formula as equal approximately to 0.30 micrograms of all-trans retinol or to 0.60 micrograms of the provitamin A, all-trans-beta-carotene.

(International Unit of Vitamin A, NCI Thesaurus)

Beta carotene is being studied in the prevention of some types of cancer.

(Beta carotene, NCI Dictionary)

For example, high doses of beta-carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers.