514-78-3

Oral intake may cause loss of night vision.

ChEBI: A carotenone that consists of beta,beta-carotene bearing two oxo substituents at positions 4 and 4'.

Apotrin;Phenoro.

Canthaxanthin, a naturally-occurring carotenoid with a deep redorange colour, is widely used as a food colouring agent. Since the mid-1970s it has been included in oral 'artificial suntan' preparations. It is also available in preparations used in the treatment of certain photodermatoses. By the mid-1980s its use in such preparations had been associated with the accumulation of crystalline deposits in the retina. Reported functional changes relating to dark adaptation have been of marginal clinical significance and largely reversible. Nevertheless, this has led to the withdrawal of artificial suntan preparations containing canthaxanthin by several regulatory authorities. Preparations for treatment of photodermatoses remain available in some but not all of these countries.

Store at -20°C, protect from light, stored under nitrogen,unstable in solution, ready to use.

yellow light pink to red yellow light.

Purify canthaxanthin by chromatography on a column of deactivated alumina or magnesium oxide, or on a thin layer plate of silica gel G (M