Bixa orellana (family Bixaceae) is a neotropical fast growing perennial tree of great agro-industrial value because its seeds have a high carotenoid content, mainly bixin. It has been used since pre-colonial times as a culinary colorant and spice, and for healing purposes. It is currently used as a natural pigment in the food, in pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, and it is commercially k...

Carotenoids are 40-carbon molecules with conjugated double bonds, making them particularly effective for quenching free radicals. They have always been believed to possess anticancer properties, which could be due to their antioxidant potential. Norbixin is an unusual dicarboxylic water-soluble carotenoid present as a component in the pericarp of the seeds of Bixa orellana L. (from the Bixaceae...

Indian forests are a major source of large number of non-wood forest products. One such product is an exudate tree gum, regionally called as gum Kondagogu (Cochlospermum gossypium DC.), belonging to the family Bixaceae. This gum is collected by tribals in the state of Andhra Pradesh and marketed by Girijan Cooperative Society, Andhra Pradesh, India. Experimental work carried out in our laborato...