Chemicals and Drugs

Canthaxanthin

A trans-carotenoid pigment widely distributed in nature. The compound is used as an oral suntanning agent and as a food and drug coloring agent. Oral ingestion of the compound causes canthaxanthin retinopathy.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A trans-carotenoid pigment widely distributed in nature. The compound is used as an oral suntanning agent and as a food and drug coloring agent. Oral ingestion of the compound causes canthaxanthin retinopathy.

Chemical Identity

Chemical Information

Molecular Formula
C40H52O2
Molecular Weight
564.8 g/mol
CAS Registry No.
514-78-3
IUPAC Name
2,4,4-trimethyl-3-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-18-(2,6,6-trimethyl-3-oxocyclohexen-1-yl)octadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaenyl]cyclohex-2-en-1-one
InChIKey
FDSDTBUPSURDBL-DKLMTRRASA-N
SMILES
CC1=C(C(CCC1=O)(C)C)/C=C/C(=C/C=C/C(=C/C=C/C=C(/C=C/C=C(/C=C/C2=C(C(=O)CCC2(C)C)C)\C)\C)/C)/C
MeSH Unique ID
D016644
Source
PubChem CID 5281227

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

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Drug Class

Pharmacological Action

MeSH Record

Synonyms

6 entry terms
  • Canthaxanthine
  • C.I. 40850
  • Carophyll Red
  • Food Orange 8
  • Orobronze
  • Roxanthin Red 10

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

29 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, agonists, analogs & derivatives, analysis, antagonists & inhibitors, biosynthesis, blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, deficiency, economics, genetics, history, immunology, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, physiology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity, urine.

MeSH Record

History Note

92; was CANTHAXANTHIN (NM) 1978-91

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Antioxidants (1966-1991)
  • Carotene/analogs & derivatives (1975-1991)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. D02w.455w.326.271w.665w.202w.868w.249w
  2. D02w.455w.426w.392.368w.367.379.249w.887w.249w
  3. D02w.455w.849w.131w.868w.249w
  4. D23.767w.261w.887w.249w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Canthaxanthin. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D016644. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D016644
  2. Canthaxanthin. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canthaxanthin
  3. Canthaxanthin. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q385657
  4. Canthaxanthin. In: PubChem Compound. CID 5281227. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5281227