COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF CAROTENOID COMPLEX FROM GOLDEN NEO-LIFE DYNAMITE (GNLD) AND CARROT EXTRACTED CAROTENOIDS ON IMMUNE PARAMETERS IN ALBINO WISTAR RATS

The immunomodulatory effect of Carotenoid complex from Golden Neo-Life Dynamite (GNLD) and carrot extracted Carotenoid was assessed using 24 albino Wistar rats. The rats were assigned to 4 groups of 6 rats each consisting of group 1(control group treated with distilled water), group 2 (treated with olive oil), group 3 (treated with carrot extract + olive oil) and group 4 (treated with GNLD Carotenoid complex + olive oil). The concentration of carrot extracted Carotenoid and that of the GNLD Carotenoid complex were 559mg/kg.The animals were sacrificed after 21 days of treatment and whole blood collected for analysis of immune parameters. The parameters included; percentage lymphocytes, percentage eosinophils, percentage monocytes and platelet count. There were significant increases (P<0.05) in groups 3 and 4 which received carrot extract and Carotenoid complex supplement when compared to group 1 and 2 which received distilled water and olive oil. This supports the claim that Carotenoids have immunomodulatory effects. However, it is clear that there were significant increases (P<0.05) in percentage lymphocytes (40.15± 1.33), monocytes (2.50± 1.31), neutrophils (60.08± 2.06) and platelet count (7.91± 0.53) in group 4 which received carotenoid complex when compared to that of group 3 which received carrot extract; lymphocytes (33.01 ± 3.20), monocytes (1.52 ± 0.52), neutrophils (60.12 ± 1.50) and platelet count (7.81 ± 0.52).These significant increases(P<0.05) show that both carotenoids have immunomodulatory effects; and that the GNLD Carotenoid complex which consists of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, Zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and alpha-tocopherol is more potent in its immunomodulatory effect compared to the carrot extracted carotenoid which contained mostly alpha-carotene and beta-carotene alone.

Keywords
Carotenoids, Carrot, immunomodulatory effect, GNLD, white blood cells, platelet count