Traditional Heritage of Marigold
Marigold's value has always been its natural carotenoid pigments. Eyevistar® carries that heritage forward as a standardized 20% lutein and 4% zeaxanthin extract.
A heritage built around natural carotenoids
Marigold, scientifically known as Tagetes erecta L., is recognized for its brightly coloured flowers and naturally occurring carotenoid pigments. Its flowers are an important botanical source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two xanthophyll carotenoids associated with the macular region of the human retina.
Lutein and zeaxanthin cannot be produced naturally by the human body. They must be obtained through dietary sources such as green leafy vegetables, maize and carotenoid-rich flowers, including marigold. Marigold flowers have consequently become one of the most abundant commercial botanical sources of these important macular carotenoids.
Valued for vivid natural pigments
Marigold flowers have long been valued for their vivid natural pigments and their association with food, botanical preparations and culturally important floral applications. Within the scientific documentation available for Eyevistar®, the strongest established heritage connection is its role as a natural source of dietary carotenoids rather than its classification as a classical Ayurvedic rejuvenative.
The yellow and orange pigments in marigold flowers arise largely from carotenoid compounds. These naturally occurring pigments have made marigold particularly valuable for the preparation of standardized lutein and zeaxanthin ingredients used in modern nutritional formulations.
From the plate to the macula
Lutein and zeaxanthin are part of the wider nutritional heritage of carotenoid-rich foods. Once consumed, marigold-derived carotenoid esters are hydrolysed in the digestive tract. Free lutein is then absorbed through the small intestine, transported through the bloodstream in association with lipoproteins and deposited in ocular tissues.
Within the retina, lutein and zeaxanthin accumulate selectively in the macular region, where they form part of the macular pigment. They are associated with two important protective functions:
- Filtering high-energy blue light before it reaches sensitive photoreceptor cells
- Neutralizing reactive oxygen species that contribute to oxidative retinal damage
From botanical heritage to scientific validation
In ARPE-19 human retinal pigment epithelial cells, Eyevistar® demonstrated no meaningful cytotoxicity at the tested concentrations and significantly increased cell proliferation at 125, 250 and 500 µg/mL. It also protected retinal cells from ultraviolet-induced oxidative damage and reduced the accumulation of A2E and lipofuscin.
In a high-fat-diet-induced animal model of AMD-like retinal changes, Eyevistar® increased antioxidant defence markers, restored lutein and zeaxanthin levels in plasma and macular tissue, reduced retinal lipofuscin accumulation and helped preserve retinal architecture. The most pronounced effects were reported at 10 mg/kg.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled human study evaluating lutein and zeaxanthin for macular pigment optical density, photostress recovery, glare disability and contrast sensitivity is currently underway. It is therefore described as ongoing research rather than as a completed clinical trial.
Bring marigold's carotenoid heritage into your formulation
Request a sample of Eyevistar® or speak with our technical team about eye-health applications.