Chemaphor Inc.

National Research Council of Canada

Avivagen Inc.

Janusz Daroszewski

Graham W Burton

Jenny Phipps

James G Nickerson

Cameron L Groome

Clayton Paul Dick

Prabhat Arya

Isabella Verzberger-Epshtein

Grigory B Nikiforov

Trevor J Mogg

William W Riley

The invention features compositions and methods for the administration of an oxidatively transformed carotenoid, or a component thereof, for improving the health of animals, such as increasing joint mobility, increasing activity, and improving coat quality. In particular, methods for improving the health of animals comprise administering compositions comprising an oligomeric material formed by reaction of oxygen with a carotenoid.

Methods and compositions for improving the health of animals

The invention features compositions for administration of an oxidatively transformed carotenoid or a component thereof and methods of promoting weight gain and feed conversion efficiency therewith.

Compositions and methods for promoting weight gain and feed conversion

This invention features fractionated oxidized carotenoid or retinoid mixtures, and individual components thereof, which are useful as cell-differentiation-inducing, anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic and anti-tumor agents. The mixtures and compounds of the invention can be used alone or in combination with other anticancer agents for the treatment of cancer.

Oxidized carotenoid fractions and ketoaldehyde useful as cell-differentiation inducers, cytostatic agents, and anti-tumor agents

.beta.-Carotene and canthaxanthin, as representative carotenoids, and to a lesser extent, retinoic acid, a representative retinoid, undergo extensive oxidation to yield substances, insofar as oxidized .beta.-carotene is a model, which have properties useful as non-toxic agents active against cell proliferation, tumors, and tumorigenic viruses, and useful as promoters of cell differentiation. It is evident from chemical analysis of the highly oxidized .beta.-carotene product mixture that none of the various forms of vitamin A are present or are present only in minor amounts. Furthermore, the biological activities of oxidized canthaxanthin and retinoic acid, which cannot form, vitamin A, indicate the presence of active substances that are different from vitamin A. Although the anti-proliferative and differentiation promotion activities of oxidized .beta.-carotene resemble those of vitamin A itself, generally the effects are more powerful for oxidized .beta.-carotene in a wide variety of circumstances. Unlike vitamin A, the oxidized .beta.-carotene of the invention is non-toxic.

Extensively oxidized derivatives of carotenoids, retinoids and related

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Ottawa, Canada

Janusz Daroszewski