Carotenoids as Antiparkinson Agents

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease associated with the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the portions of the brain via multiple pathological mechanisms. Despite the fact that enormous progress occurred in the cure of Parkinson’s disorder, but the incidence and risk of this disease is increasing alarmingly over the past few decades. In this issue, several scientists aimed at dietary nutrients or functional foods as the therapeutic negotiators in PD. Carotenoids comprise around 850 naturally occurring useful pigments, which accumulate in various organs or tissues and restore their normal physiological actions. Carotenoids are known to possess antioxidant, anti-neuroinflammatory, anti-amyloidogenic, anti-acetylcholinesterase, and neuroprotective effects. Thus, carotenoids can be suitable therapeutic options against neurodegenerative ailments, such as PD. Several carotenoids, such as α-carotene, β-carotene, retinol, lycopene, fucoxanthin, zeaxanthin, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, crocin, and crocetin, exhibit therapeutic potential against PD. This chapter emphasized the therapeutic role of carotenoids in PD including the molecular mechanism of carotenoids in the disease pathogenesis. In addition, clinical data have been comprehensively discussed.