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Abstract

A method is disclosed for treating or preventing macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness and vision loss, by administering a preparation of zeaxanthin which contains the 3R-3'R stereoisomer as a sole or heavily dominant stereoisomer. Zeaxanthin, a yellowish pigment which is naturally present in macular cells in the center of the human retina, absorbs blue and near-ultraviolet light radiation, thereby protecting retinal cells against phototoxic damage. The purified R-R isomer of zeaxanthin can be taken orally as a prescription drug by patients suffering from macular degeneration, and it can also be used as a nutritional supplement, in forms such as a vitamin pills or food additives, by anyone who wants to reduce his or her risk of macular degeneration, which is widespread among people over the age of about 50 or 60. Zeaxanthin preparations which contain only the desired R-R isomer can be produced by fermentation of Flavobacterium multivorum cells (ATCC accession number 55238) or other host cells which contain genes isolated from this F. multivorum strain. These bacterial cells do not create any detectable quantities of the undesired S-S or S-R isomers of zeaxanthin, and they do not synthesize significant quantities of other carotenoids which might compete against zeaxanthin for alimentary uptake after oral ingestion.

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