Overview of carotenoids and beneficial effects on human health

Abstract Carotenoid pigments are abundant in plants mainly in flowers and fruits and have diverse roles in photobiology, photochemistry, and medicine. Carotenoids properties, such as reactivity with singlet oxygen and with a range of free radicals, render them essential in dietary recommendations. These compounds have the particularity of acting to attenuate or prevent human chronic diseases (e.g., breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, eye illness, and cardiovascular ailments) and aging. Mechanisms associated with the anti- and prooxidant behavior of carotenoids make them essential elements for human health. Several studies, including cell cultures, animal studies, and epidemiological investigations have indicated the effect of dietary carotenoids in reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as cancer and coronary heart disease.