A relevant area of pharmaceutical research is the search for new compounds capable of inhibiting free radical oxidation at various stages of the pathological process. Taking into account the prospects for practical application, particular attention of researchers is focused on carotenoids as natural bioantioxidants characterized by high biological activity and minimal toxicity. The primary function of carotenoids is to protect cellular membranes and other structural components of the cell from the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species, which determines their important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and preventing oxidative stress. In this context, an in-depth study of analytical quality control methods, particularly the determination of the purity of the most common groups of carotenoids, is of significant interest.

Aim of the study. The aim of this study was to generalize and systematize scientific data on the methods of analysis of biologically active carotenoids using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), with the prospect of further application of the obtained results for the optimization of laboratory analytical methods.

Materials and methods. An information search was conducted using the following scientometric databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. Analytical, descriptive, and generalization methods were applied to achieve the objectives of the study. The research materials included data from contemporary scientific literature sources addressing the determination of purity, identification, and structural analysis of biologically active carotenoids by HPLC.

Results. An analysis of available scientific literature sources was performed, focusing on approaches to the assessment of purity and structural characteristics of bioactive carotenoids using high-performance liquid chromatography. The main chromatographic parameters influencing the selectivity and sensitivity of the method, as well as sample preparation features, were considered.

Conclusions. Based on the analysis of current scientific literature, examples of qualitative and quantitative determination methods for two major groups of carotenoids –carotenes and xanthophylls – using HPLC were identified. A comparative analysis of these methods was carried out, taking into account chromatographic conditions, types of stationary and mobile phases, and detection approaches, which substantiates the selection of optimal analytical conditions for further scientific and practical research.