lutein

American  

[loo-tee-in] / ˈlu ti ɪn /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. Also called xanthophyll.  a yellow-red, water-insoluble, crystalline, carotenoid alcohol, C 40 H 56 O 2 , found in the petals of marigold and certain other flowers, egg yolk, algae, and corpora lutea: used chiefly in the biochemical study of the carotenoids.

2. a preparation consisting of dried and powdered corpora lutea from hogs.

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lutein British  

/ ˈluːtɪɪn /

noun

1. a xanthophyll pigment, occurring in plants, that has a light-absorbing function in photosynthesis

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Etymology

Origin of lutein

1865–70; < Latin lūte ( um ) yolk of an egg (noun use of neuter of lūteus yellow; luteous ) + -in ²

Example Sentences

There are many carotenoids including lutein, lycopene, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene.

From Salon • Sep. 27, 2023

The more lutein and zeaxanthin you eat, substances that come from vegetables like leafy greens, the thicker the pigment.

From Scientific American • Nov. 1, 2022

Additional compounds found in pumpkins that support vision health are lutein and zeaxanthin, two plant pigments that help to protect eyes from harmful light waves, according to WebMD.

From Fox News • Oct. 15, 2021

AREDS2 discovered that switching out beta-carotene for lutein and zeaxanthin worked just as well and was safer for smokers.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 4, 2019

But this leaves the question, what is lutein and why is it secreted?

From Hormones and Heredity by Cunningham, J. T.