See Also: Beta-carotene(medicine)
Beta carotene(health)
carotene, beta(medicine)
Carotene, beta(health)
beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase(medicine)
beta-carotene hydroxylase(medicine)
beta-carotene cleavage enzyme(medicine)
Carotene(health)
carotene(dictionary)
carotene(medicine)

locust (iou) and Beta-carotene (medicine)


locust (iou)



locust noun & verb. ME.
[Old & mod. French locuste from Latin locusta locust, crustacean (cf. LOBSTER noun1 & verb).]
A. noun.
Any grasshopper of the family Acrididae (the short-horned grasshoppers); esp. any of several species of Africa and the warm parts of Asia and the Americas that form large migratory swarms highly destructive to vegetation. ME.
b. fig. A person of devouring or destructive propensities. M16.
c. A grasshopper of the family Tettigoniidae (long-horned grasshoppers). Chiefly Austral. M19.
d. A cicada, esp. Cicada septendecim, the seventeen-year locust. US & Austral. M19.
The pod of the cassia, Cassia fistula; the pod of the carob tree, thought to resemble a locust. E17.
In full locust tree. Any of various leguminous trees; esp. (a) = CAROB 2; (b) a tree of the W. Indies and Guyana, Hymenaea courbaril; (c) N. Amer. = ACACIA 2 (also black locust); (d) NZ a kowhai, Sophora tetraptera. E17.
honey locust tree: see HONEY noun.
b. A club of the wood of the N. American locust tree, formerly carried by US police. US. M19.
Comb.: locust bean the fruit of the carob tree; locust-berry the fruit of a W. Indian tree, Byrsonima coriacea (family Malpighiaceae); the tree itself; locust-bird S. Afr. any of various birds (esp. certain pratincoles) that eat locusts, spec. (more fully great locust-bird) the European white stork, Ciconia ciconia; locust-eater S. Afr. = locust-bird above; locust tree: see sense 3 above; locust years years of poverty and hardship.
b. verb intrans. Swarm (and devour) as locusts do. rare. L19.

Beta-carotene (medicine)


beta-carotene


An antioxidant which protects cells against oxidation damage that can lead to cancer. Beta carotene is converted, as needed, to vitamin A.

A yellow carotenoid pigment that gives a reddish colour to plants such as carrots and tomatoes. It is often used as a vitamin supplement because the liver can convert it into Vitamin A.

Food sources of beta-carotene include Vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and Other leafy green Vegetables; and fruit such as cantaloupes and apricots. Excessive carotene in the diet can temporarily yellow the skin, a condition called carotenaemia, commonly seen in infants fed largely mushed carrots.