Xanthophyll carotenoid (None commonly used; individual xanthophylls (e.g., lutein, zeaxanthin) may have abbreviations.)

Xanthophyll carotenoids are yellow pigments belonging to the broader family of carotenoids—organic compounds produced by plants, algae, some bacteria, fungi, and archaea. Unlike carotenes (which contain only carbon and hydrogen), xanthophylls also contain oxygen atoms that make them more polar. They function primarily as accessory pigments within chloroplast light-harvesting complexes where they absorb additional wavelengths during photosynthesis and protect against photooxidative damage by dissipating excess absorbed light energy through non-photochemical quenching mechanisms. In animals—including humans—dietary xanthophylls such as lutein and zeaxanthin accumulate in the retina where they help filter blue light and act as antioxidants that may reduce risk for age-related macular degeneration. The group includes several well-known molecules such as lutein, zeaxanthin, neoxanthin, violaxanthanthine flavoxanthanthine α-, β-, cryptoxanthanthin among others.

Other names

XanthophyllsPhylloxanthinsOxygenated carotenoids

Not applicable for drugs targeting "xanthophyll carotenoid" as it is not itself a drug target. For their biological action: - Quenching singlet oxygen/free radicals (antioxidant mechanism) - Non-photochemical quenching to dissipate excess light energy in photosynthetic organisms