Capsanthin ingredient may help regulate intraocular pressure, says recent animal study
A capsanthin ingredient from Unibar Corp., called CapsiClear, has been found to support the ocular system’s ability to regulate intraocular pressure in a recent animal study.
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A capsanthin ingredient from Unibar Corp., called CapsiClear, has been found to support the ocular system’s ability to regulate intraocular pressure in a recent animal study. Derived from Capsicum annum L (chili pepper), capsanthin is a lipophilic carotenoid. Carotenoids, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, have long been researched for their eye health benefits.
“Until now, topical ocular drops were the only way to address elevated IOP but capsanthin presents an alternate and efficacious option via an oral application. And natural products like capsanthin can enhance patient compliance and affordability when facing or anticipating this health challenge,” said Sevanti Mehta, president of Unibar, in a press release. “Increased IOP is a major risk factor for eye damage and eventual vision loss because it can lead to mechanical stress and tissue damage within the retina. This initial research on our CapsiClear shows that incorporating capsanthin into a regular diet via supplementation can provide significant help and potentially reduce that risk.”
In the study, glaucomatous rats were orally administered capsanthin at low (20 mg/kg bwt), medium (40 mg/kg bwt), and high (80 mg/kg bwt) doses, pilocarpine 2% eye drops as a standard drug, or placebo for 28 days. Results showed that in rats with elevated intraocular pressure, capsanthin administration significantly reduced pressure even at low doses. The results from capsanthin administration found to be comparable to pilocarpine.
“This study is one of several on capsanthin that we hope to see published over the coming year to solidify our claim that it is the most powerful and holistic natural solution for ocular nutrition,” said Mehta. “We spent eight years developing CapsiClear and are happy to see the hard work pay off with outstanding results both with the research and with consumer response to currently available products containing our capsanthin ingredient.”
CapsiClear is the first ingredient to be standardized to 50% capsanthin, says Unibar.
Reference
- Shanmugham V et al. “Extraction of capsanthin from Capsicum annum L fruits and its effect on carbomer-induced intraocular pressure in Albino Wistar rats.” Journal of Food Biochemistry, Published online ahead of print on May 30, 2021
