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Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring red carotenoid pigment classified as a xanthophyll, found in microalgae and seafood such as salmon, trout, and shrimp. This review focuses on astaxanthin as a bioactive compound and outlines the evidence associated with its potential role in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Astaxanthin has a unique molecular structure that is responsible for its powerful antioxidant activities by quenching singlet oxygen and scavenging free radicals. Astaxanthin has been reported to inhibit low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and adiponectin levels in clinical studies. Accumulating evidence suggests that astaxanthin could exert preventive actions against atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) via its potential to improve oxidative stress, inflammation, lipid metabolism, and glucose metabolism. In addition to identifying mechanisms of astaxanthin bioactivity by basic research, much more epidemiological and clinical evidence linking reduced CVD risk with dietary astaxanthin intake is needed.

Obesity and associated metabolic disorders pose significant health challenges. Fucoxanthin, a lipophilic compound, has shown promising anti-obesity potential, but its poor solubility and bioavailability limit therapeutic efficacy. The successful formulation of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) amplified fucoxanthin’s efficacy in mitigating obesity and the associated metabolic dysregulation. High-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice were treated with free fucoxanthin, lyophilized SLNs (L-SLN), and dispersed SLNs (D-SLN) loaded with fucoxanthin. The intervention with D-SLN demonstrated the most significant reduction in body weight gain (29.94%) and fat mass gain (61.80%) compared to the HFD group (p < 0.05), alongside notable improvements in metabolic indicators including fasting blood glucose, liver enzymes, lipid profile, and inflammatory markers such as leptin and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) levels. Histopathological evaluation corroborated these findings, showing highly reduced hepatic lipid droplet accumulation and improved adipocyte and testicular morphology. This advancement paved the way for translating fucoxanthin into a clinically effective anti-obesity agent.

Here we report a new Raman probe for cellular studies on lipids detection and distribution. It is (3S, 3'S)-astaxanthin (AXT), a natural xanthophyll of hydrophobic properties and high solubility in lipids. It contains a chromophore group, a long polyene chain of eleven conjugated C=C bonds including two in the terminal rings, absorbing light in the visible range that coincides with the excitation of lasers commonly used in Raman spectroscopy for studying of biological samples. Depending on the laser, resonance (excitation in the visible range) or pre-resonance (the near infrared range) Raman spectrum of astaxanthin is dominated by bands at ca. 1008, 1158, and 1520 cm−1 that now can be also a marker of lipids distribution in the cells. We showed that AXT accumulates in lipidic structures of endothelial cells in time-dependent manner that provides possibility to visualize e.g. endoplasmic reticulum, as well as nuclear envelope. As a non-toxic reporter, it has a potential in the future studies on e.g. nucleus membranes damage in live cells in a very short measuring time.

Several antitumour drugs have been isolated from natural products and many clinical trials are underway to evaluate their potential. There have been numerous reports about the antitumour effects of astaxanthin against several tumours but no studies into its effects against glioblastoma. Astaxanthin is a red pigment found in crustaceans and fish and is also synthesized in Haematococcus pluvialis; adonixanthin is an intermediate product of astaxanthin. It is known that both astaxanthin and adonixanthin possess radical scavenging activity and can confer a protective effect on several damages. In this study, we clarified the antitumour effects of astaxanthin and adonixanthin using glioblastoma models. Specifically, astaxanthin and adonixanthin showed an ability to suppress cell proliferation and migration in three types of glioblastoma cells. Furthermore, these compounds were confirmed to transfer to the brain in a murine model. In the murine orthotopic glioblastoma model, glioblastoma progression was suppressed by the oral administration of astaxanthin and adonixanthin at 10 and 30 mg/kg, respectively, for 10 days. These results suggest that both astaxanthin and adonixanthin have potential as treatments for glioblastoma.

The hyperglycemic state in diabetes mellitus induces oxidative stress and inflammation, contributing to diabetic tissue damage and associated complications. Astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant carotenoid, has been investigated for its potential to prevent and manage diabetes across various species; however, its effect on client-owned dogs remains poorly studied. This study explored the impact of astaxanthin supplementation on canine diabetes mellitus using a proteomics approach. A total of 18 client-owned dogs were enrolled: 6 dogs with diabetes mellitus and 12 clinically healthy dogs. The diabetic dogs received their standard treatment regimen along with daily oral supplementation of 12 mg of astaxanthin (1.5–2.4 mg/kg) for 90 days. Plasma samples were collected at the beginning and end of the study period for proteomics analysis. After astaxanthin supplementation, significant alterations in the expression of proteins associated with the complement system, coagulation cascade, JAK–STAT signaling, and protein kinase C signaling (all of which contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress) were observed. Astaxanthin exhibited potential for reducing diabetes-associated complications, such as insulin resistance, vascular dysfunction, nephropathy, and cardiac issues, even though it did not affect clinical parameters (hematology, plasma biochemistry, blood glucose, and serum fructosamine). These findings suggest that astaxanthin may be a valuable complementary therapy for managing diabetes-related complications in canines.

Astaxanthin (AST) is a biomolecule known for its powerful antioxidant effect, which is considered of great importance in biochemical research and has great potential for application in cosmetics, as well as food products that are beneficial to human health and medicines. Unfortunately, its poor solubility in water, chemical instability, and low oral bioavailability make its applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical field a major challenge for the development of new products. To favor the search for alternatives to enhance and make possible the use of AST in formulations, this article aimed to review the scientific data on its application in delivery systems. The search was made in databases without time restriction, using keywords such as astaxanthin, delivery systems, skin, cosmetic, topical, and dermal. All delivery systems found, such as liposomes, particulate systems, inclusion complexes, emulsions, and films, presented peculiar advantages able to enhance AST properties, among which are stability, antioxidant potential, biological activities, and drug release. This survey showed that further studies are needed for the industrial development of new AST-containing cosmetics and topical formulations.

Burn-wound progression can occur in the initial or peri-burn area after a deep burn injury. The stasis zone has a higher risk of deterioration mediated by multiple factors but is also considered salvageable. Astaxanthin (ATX), which is extracted from some marine organisms, is a natural compound with a strong antioxidant effect that has been reported to attenuate organ injuries caused by traumatic injuries. Hence, we investigated the potential effects of ATX on preventing early burn-wound progression. A classic “comb” burn rat model was established in this study for histological and biological assessments, which revealed that ATX, particularly higher doses, alleviated histological deterioration in the stasis zone. Additionally, we observed dose-dependent improvements in oxidative stress and the release of inflammatory mediators after ATX treatment. Furthermore, ATX dose-dependently attenuated burn-induced apoptosis in the wound areas, and this effect was accompanied by increases in Akt and Bad phosphorylation and a downregulation of cytochrome C and caspase expression. In addition, the administration of Ly 294002 further verified the effect of ATX. In summary, we demonstrated that ATX protected against early burn-wound progression in a rat deep-burn model. This protection might be mediated by the attenuation of oxidative stress-induced inflammation and mitochondria-related apoptosis.

Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring red carotenoid pigment belonging to the family of xanthophylls, and is typically found in marine environments, especially in microalgae and seafood such as salmonids, shrimps and lobsters. Due to its unique molecular structure, astaxanthin features some important biologic properties, mostly represented by strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activities. A growing body of evidence suggests that astaxanthin is efficacious in the prevention and treatment of several ocular diseases, ranging from the anterior to the posterior pole of the eye. Therefore, the present review aimed at providing a comprehensive evaluation of current clinical applications of astaxanthin in the management of ocular diseases. The efficacy of this carotenoid in the setting of retinal diseases, ocular surface disorders, uveitis, cataract and asthenopia is reported in numerous animal and human studies, which highlight its ability of modulating several metabolic pathways, subsequently restoring the cellular homeostatic balance. To maximize its multitarget therapeutic effects, further long-term clinical trials are warranted in order to define appropriate dosage, route of administration and exact composition of the final product.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of astaxanthin (ASX) extracted and ASX powder from shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) shells on Wistar rats with Alzheimer’s disease, induced by amyloid-β (1-42) peptides. In this task, the rats were divided into eight groups: (1) Control, (2) sham operate, (3) negative control (vehicle) + Aβ1-42, (4) ASX extract+Aβ1-42, (5) commercial ASX + Aβ1-42, (6) ASX powder + Aβ1-42, (7) blank powder + Aβ1-42, and (8) vitamin E + Aβ1-42. All treatments were orally administrated for 30 days. At 14- and 29-days post injection, animals were observed in behavioral tests. On the 31st day, animals were sacrificed; the hippocampus and cortex were collected. Those two brain areas were then homogenized and stored for biochemical and histological analysis. The results showed that the Aβ1-42 infused group significantly reduced cognitive ability and increased memory loss, as assessed by the Morris water maze test, novel object recognition test, and novel object location test. Moreover, the Aβ1-42 infused group exhibited a deterioration of oxidative markers, including glutathione peroxidase enzymes (GPx), lipid peroxidation (MDA), products of protein oxidation, and superoxide anion in the cortex and the hippocampus. Meanwhile, ASX powder (10 mg/kg body weight) showed a significant reduction in cognitive and memory impairments and oxidative stress which is greater than ASX extract in the same dose of compound or vitamin E (100 mg/kg body weight). Our study indicates the beneficial properties of ASX in alleviation of cognitive functions and reducing neurodegeneration in Wistar rats induced by amyloid-β (1-42) peptides.

Trichinellosis, a resurgent zoonotic infestation, threatens public health due to recorded human outbreaks in various nations. The emergence of treatment resistance necessitates the exploration of efficient natural alternatives. Staphyloxanthin (STX), a membrane-associated secondary metabolite carotenoid pigment, underscores pro-oxidative traits, positioning it as a novel therapeutic candidate. Nanostructures demonstrated encouraging promise in overcoming low oral bioavailability, which could undermine the efficacy. Hence, the therapeutic outcome of STX-loaded niosomes was scrutinized both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the prepared niosomal nanovesicles exhibited a spherical form in the nanoscale spectrum. Our in vitro findings demonstrated that STX markedly diminished larval viability, associated with excessive cuticular deformities, numerous notches, and membrane blebbing. The preclinical evaluation revealed that the oral delivery of STX-niosomes showed a superiority of therapeutic efficacy in mice compared to the reference drug. This was reflected by the eradicated adult worms, enhanced histopathological attributes, and reduced larval count. It is noteworthy that the biological findings revealed a significant reduction in the inflammatory expression of TNF-α surrounding trichina capsules. The relationship between STX and the parasite was elucidated, with the promising antiparasitic efficacy being further corroborated through in silico homology modelling and molecular docking approaches. The 3D-modelled target protein structures exhibited excellent quality factors and favourable Ramachandran plot statistics. Intriguingly, in silico docking results obviously revealed the potential affinity of STX to bind and block target protein receptors. In conclusion, our results suggested that STX pigment may serve as a promising pioneering alternative in the anthelmintic fight against trichinellosis.