Title:The Roles of β-Carotene in Cardiomyocytes
Volume: 17
Issue: 7
Author(s): Inez F. Yusuf, Ronny Lesmana*, Hanna Goenawan, Achadiyani, Astrid F. Khairani and Siti N. Fatimah
Affiliation:
- Physiology Division, Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor,Indonesia
Keywords:
Antioxidant, atherosclerosis, β-carotene, cardiomyocytes, cardiovascular disease, mitochondria, reactive oxygen
species.
Abstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is considered one of the major causes of mortality
worldwide, with approximately 17.9 million deaths per year. There are several risk factors of
cardiovascular diseases, such as behavioral factors (e.g., tobacco use, imbalanced diet, alcohol
misuse, and lack of physical activities) and other underlying health-related factors (e.g., hypertension,
dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia). These factors are also correlated with the pathophysiology
of CVD, and one of the determinants of early aging is the poor overall quality of life. One
of the main strategies to prevent these risks is by achieving a healthy lifestyle, including the consumption
of natural supplements. Recently, β -carotene has gained the attention of researchers
owing to its natural antioxidant properties. It is found in fruit and vegetable compounds. In this
article, we review the effects of β-carotene as an antioxidant that counteracts free radicals and cytoprotective
agents that have positive benefits, such as preventing several age-related diseases
improvement of the health of the cardiac muscle.
