Uses of a carotenoid in the treatment or prevention of stress induced conditions

A method for the treatment or prevention of a disease mediated by glucocorticoid receptor activity, which comprises administering a carotenoid wherein the carotenoid is selected from the group consisting of xanthophylls and carotenes, and wherein

• the xanthophyll is selected from the group consisting of α-cryptoxantin, β-cryptoxantin, adonirubin, adonixanthin, alloxanthin, amarouciaxanthin A, antheraxanthin, auroxanthin, caloxanthin, capsanthin, capsanthin-5-6-epoxide, capsorubin, crocoxanthin, diadinoxant, diatoxanthin, echinenone, fucoxanthin, fucoxanthinol, iso-fucoxanthin, iso-fucoxanthinol, lutein, luteoxanthin, mutatoxanthin, neoxanthin, nostoxanthin, violaxanthin, and combinations thereof;
• and
• the carotene is selected from the group consisting of α-carotene, γ-carotene, δ-carotene, ϵ-carotene, ζ-carotene, neurosporene and combinations thereof.

A cosmetic method for preventing premature-aging of skin in a subject, wherein the premature aging of skin is caused by corticoids, which comprises administering a carotenoid to said subject, with the proviso that the carotenoid is not astaxanthin or beta-carotene, wherein the carotenoid is selected from the group of xanthophylls and carotenes, and wherein

• the xanthophyll is selected from the group consisting of α-cryptoxantin. β-cryptoxantin, adonirubin, adonixanthin, alloxanthin, amarouciaxanthin A, antheraxanthin, auroxanthin, caloxanthin, canthaxanthin, capsanthin, capsanthin-5-6-epoxide, capsorubin, crocoxanthin, diadinoxanthin, diatoxanthin, echinenone, fucoxanthin, fucoxanthinol, iso-fucoxanthin, isofucoxanthinol, lutein, luteoxanthin, mutatoxanthin, neoxanthin, nostoxanthin, violaxanthin and combinations thereof;
• and
• the carotene is selected from the group consisting of α-carotene, γ-carotene, δ-carotene, ϵ-carotene, ζ-carotene, lycopene, neurosporene, phytoene, phytofluene and combinations thereof.

A method for modulating an activity of a glucocorticoid receptor comprising contacting the receptor with a carotenoid, with the proviso that the carotenoid is not astaxanthin or beta-carotene.