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Supplementing Ferrets with Canthaxanthin Affects the Tissue Distributions of Canthaxanthin, Other Carotenoids, Vitamin A and Vitamin E^1,2,3,

Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111 the^* Division of Comparative Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139

To study the effects of canthaxanthin supplementation on the tissue distribution of canthaxanthin, other carotenoids, vitamin A and vitamin E, 26 spayed female ferrets (2 mo of age) were used. Ferrets were assigned to receive a commercial ferret diet and a gavage of canthaxanthin [50 mg/(kg body wt·d)] or a gavage of placebo beadlets (0 mg canthaxanthin) 5 d/wk. Serum canthaxanthin concentrations in the canthaxanthin-fed group increased from 0 at baseline to 37.76 ± 5.34 nmol/L trans and 77.10 ± 12.60 nmol/L cis canthaxanthin at 12 mo. Further accumulation of canthaxanthin did not occur with continuous dosing. After 2 y of receiving canthaxanthin beadlets by gavage, the ferrets did not show a detectable concentration of canthaxanthin in the eyes, nor did they have clinical signs of toxicity. Canthaxanthin concentrations were highest in liver, with high concentrations also seen in fat, lung and small intestine. The sum of and ß-carotene concentrations detected in livers was significantly higher in the canthaxanthin-fed group than in the placebo-fed group, but not significantly higher when individual carotenes were compared. However, -tocopherol concentrations in the livers and lungs and lutein/zeaxanthin in the fats of the ferrets fed canthaxanthin were significantly lower than in those fed the placebo. Retinoid concentrations in tissues of the ferrets fed canthaxanthin were not different from those of the placebo-fed group. The effects of canthaxanthin supplementation on other antioxidants and vitamin A nutrients demonstrate either a synergistic or antagonistic relationship, depending on the specific tissue assayed.

KEY WORDS: • carotenoids • canthaxanthin • ferrets • tissue distribution

¹ Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service under contract number 53-3K06-01 and NIH grants RR01046 and RR07036. This project was also supported in part by a grant from Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc.

² The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the United States government.

³ The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 USC section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

⁴ To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Manuscript received 3 October 1994. Revision accepted 21 February 1995.