Carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus)

Carrot, which is scientifically known as Daucus carota, is a popular root vegetable known for its bright orange color and sweet taste. It is native from Europe and west and central Asia and was probably domesticated in Afghanistan. Cultivated carrots were introduced in the MA and in Europe around the 8th century BE. Carrot extract is typically made by grinding fresh carrots into a fine powder or by extracting the juice from the carrots using various methods such as steam distillation, cold pressing, or solvent extraction. The resulting extract can then be used in many different applications, including as a dietary supplement, as a natural colorant and flavoring agent in food products, or as an ingredient in skincare products due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is particularly rich in beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that can help to protect the body against free radicals and oxidative stress, which can contribute to chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Other beneficial compounds found in carrot extract include vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals such as potassium and calcium.

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Chemical structure

One of the active compounds of carrot is beta carotene.

Applications

Food and beverages

Carrot extract is commonly used as a natural colorant and flavoring agent in various food and beverage products such as juices, smoothies, baked goods, desserts, sauces. It can also be used as a nutritional supplement in powder or liquid form, added to protein powders, energy bars, and other functional foods.

Skincare and cosmetics

Carrot extract is often used in skincare and cosmetic products due to its high content of antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. It can help to protect the skin against UV damage, reduce inflammation, and improve skin texture and tone. Carrot extract is commonly found in moisturizers, serums, and facial masks.

Nutraceutical and supplements

Carrot extract is used in the formulation of dietary supplements and nutraceuticals due to its high concentration of vitamins, minerals, and other bioactive compounds. It is often added to multivitamin and antioxidant supplements, and immune-boosting formulas.

Immunity Booster

Studies on the role of carotenoids on immune response have generally used several key immune function assays such as immunoglobulin (Ig) production, lymphoblastogenesis, lymphocyte cytotoxic activity, cytokine production, and delayed type hypersensitivity.

Type of study	Human
Subject	Healthy male nonsmokers (n=25) in the age range of 19 – 58 years, not taking any medication and vitamin supplements, not vegetarian, not anemic, not diabetic, not consuming >280 g of alcohol per week, and having BMI <35 kg/m².
Duration	Nearly 2 months
Dosage	15 mg beta carotene daily.
Group	Group 1: Received placebo for 26 days. Group 2: Received 15 mg beta carotene daily for 26 days.After the second blood sample was taken on Day 28 of the study, the participants were then crossed-over immediately onto the alternative supplements.Group 1: Received 15 mg beta carotene daily for 26 days. Group 2: Received placebo for 26 days.Then a final blood sample was taken on Day 56.
Parameters analyzed	Analysis of monocyte surface molecule expression by flow cytometry
Outcomes	Visible benefits There was a significant increase in the percentage of monocytes expressing the major MHC class II molecule, HLA-DR, after beta carotene supplementation, and this increase was maintained in group 2 after placebo treatment, in association with the persistent elevation in plasma beta carotene levels. There was also a significant increase in the percentage of monocytes expressing the adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and LFA-3 after beta carotene supplementation.
Functions	Daily beta carotene supplementation can enhance the expression of functionally associated surface molecules on human blood monocytes which signifies the elevated degree of immune responsiveness of an individual to antigenic stimulation. (Enhancement of cell-mediated immunity)

Anticancer

Carrot extract contains phytochemicals, such as carotenoids, that have been shown to have antioxidant and anticancer properties and may help to prevent the development of certain types of cancer.

Type of study	Animal	Cell culture
Subject	40 Wistar rats weighing between 220 g and 250 g were injected with 1 × 107/mL of H22 cells (murine hepatocarcinoma cells, HCC).	4 different lines of human colon adenocarcinoma cells, growing in suspension (COLO 320 HSR) or as a monolayer (LS-174, HT-29, and WiDr).
Duration	4 weeks	72 hours
Dosage	20-60 mg/kg beta carotene given orally daily.	4 different cell lines were incubated with varying beta carotene concentrations of 0, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50µM for 72 hours.
Group	Normal Group: Treated with same volume of physiological saline. Control group: Untreated HCC rats (only received soybean oil. Test group 1 (low-dose group): HCC rats that are treated with oral 20 mg/kg of beta carotene for 30 days. Test group 2 (middle-dose group): HCC rats that are treated with oral 40 mg/kg of beta carotene for 30 days. Test group 3 (high-dose group): HCC rats that are treated with oral 60 mg/kg of beta carotene for 30 days.	Control group: Received THF Test group 1: WiDr + THF + beta carotene Test group 2: LS-174 + THF + beta carotene Test group 3: HT-29 + THF + beta carotene Test group 4: COLO 320 HSR + THF + beta carotene
Parameters analyzed	Histological assessment Tumour weight and size Blood levels of natural killer cells (NK), interleukin-2 (IL-2), TNF-α Blood levels of ALT, AST, ALP	Cell growth inhibition assay – ID₂₅ and ID₅₀ Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry
Outcomes	Visible benefits Oral administration of beta carotene significantly reduced the tumour weight and size of the rats in the beta-carotene-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner as compared to that in the control group. The inhibition rate of beta carotene increased with the increasing concentration. Administration of beta carotene dose-dependently significantly increased the blood levels of NK, IL-2, and TNF-α in the beta-carotene treated HCC rats as compared to the untreated HCC rats. There was a significant inverse relationship between the dose of beta carotene administered and the blood levels of ALT, AST, and ALP in the HCC rats. Based on the histological evaluation, the nuclear fission in tumour cells was less while abundant lymphocyte and leukocyte infiltration were observed in beta carotene-treated group, indicating that beta carotene could inhibit tumour cell growth.	Visible benefits COLO 320 HSR cells were reported to be the most susceptible to beta carotene treatment, followed by LS-174, HT-29, and WiDr cells due to their respective cell ability to incorporate the carotenoid. The explanation behind this was the difference in cell metabolic status and membrane composition that influences beta carotene accumulation. The calculated ID₂₅ and ID₅₀values for COLO 320 HSR cells were 2 and 8 µM respectively. Meanwhile, the ID₂₅ values for LS-174, HT-29, and WiDr cells were 5, 11, and 36 respectively. In the absence of beta carotene, most COLO 320 HSR cells were in S phase due to the high proliferative state. However, in the presence of beta carotene, a net dose-dependent increase in the percentage of cells in G₂/M was observed and was maintained throughout the treatment. The G₂/M phase accumulation was accompanied by a corresponding reduction in the percentages of cells in S phase. Furthermore, the presence of a distinct sub G₁ peak (subdiploid DNA content), suggestive of the presence of apoptotic cells, was reported following the beta carotene treatment. Such a peak increased in a dose-dependent manner.
Functions	Beta carotene treatment can increase the capacity of spleen cells inducing IL-2 and peritoneal macrophages inducing TNF-α, indicating its association with the restoration of the body’s immunity function. The resultant decrease in ALP, ALT, and AST level signifies the liver function improvement after the treatment with beta carotene due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.	Present studies prove that beta carotene may act as a potent growth inhibitory compound in human colon adenocarcinoma cells and supports the possibility of a chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic function. The mechanism of beta carotene inhibition of colon cancer cell growth involves interference in both cell cycle progression and apoptosis. The carotenoid can induce cell cycle arrest in G₂/M phase and apoptotic death in a dose- and time-dependent manner in the human colon cancer cell lines.

Support Cardiovascular Health

Besides its antioxidant properties, carrot extract contains fiber which can help to lower cholesterol level and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Type of study

Literature review

Evidences

The enrichment of LDL with beta carotene in vitro has been shown to decrease the susceptibility of LDL to oxidative modification.
Recent studies reported that beta carotene, similar to lycopene, affects NF-kB-dependent expression of adhesion molecule and monocyte-human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) interaction induced by TNF-α and protects nitric oxide bioavailability, hence reducing TNF-α-induced nitro-oxidative stress.
A beta-carotene-rich diet may inhibit atherosclerosis by reducing non-HDL plasma cholesterol concentrations and by inhibiting fatty liver development and inflammation in a mouse model of atherosclerosis.

Healthy for Skin

Carrot extract is rich in antioxidants namely, beta carotene and vitamin C, which can help to protect the skin against sun damage and reduce the signs of aging such as wrinkles and age spots. In a study using human skin cells, th researchers found that beta carotene suppresses UVA-induction of the matrix metalloprotease enzymes MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-10, which are the keys to degradation of the extracellular matrix during premature skin aging.

Type of study	Human
Subject	43 Caucasian men with a mean age of 21 years 11 months who do not suffer from any immunological, endocrine, or metabolic disorders.
Duration	3 months
Dosage	Beta carotene from Natural Factors 30,000 IU daily.
Group	Control group: Received 400 mg 100% pure lactose capsule daily. Test group: Received 30,000 IU beta carotene from Natural Factors daily.
Parameters analyzed	Face color measurement – Yellowness, redness, lightness Facial attractiveness
Outcomes	Visible benefits The results showed a significant post-supplementation increase in skin yellowness and redness but not lightness for the beta carotene group. Post-supplementation faces were chosen as more attractive and healthier looking than the pre-supplementation faces significantly above 50% chance level in the beta carotene treatment group.
Functions	Carotenoid beta carotene enhances skin yellowness and redness and increases facial attractiveness due to its antioxidant capacity.

Healthy for Eyes

Research has found that eating a carotenoid-rich diet, including beta carotene, supports eye health and prevents eye diseases. Studies have shown that people with high blood levels of carotenoids may have a reduced risk of macular degeneration by up to 35%.

Reference

Journal DOI: 10.1016/s0022-2143(97)90179-7
Journal DOI:10.3390/molecules17078595
Journal DOI: 10.1093/carcin/23.1.11
Journal DOI: 10.3402/fnr.v59.26762
Journal DOI:10.1093/beheco/arw188