Astaxanthin as a King of Ketocarotenoids: Structure, Synthesis, Accumulation, Bioavailability and Antioxidant Properties.

Anagha Nair, Ankesh Ahirwar, Shashikala Singh, Reeta Lodhi, Aishwarya Lodhi, Anshuman Rai, Dipak A Jadhav, Sunita Varjani, Gurpreet Singh, Justine Marchand, Benoît Schoefs, Vandana Vinayak

Journal: Marine drugs 2023;21(3):176

PMID: 36976225

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Abstract

Astaxanthin (3,3-dihydroxy-β, β-carotene-4,4-dione) is a ketocarotenoid synthesized by , , , , , , some bacteria (), yeasts, and lobsters, among others However, it is majorly synthesized by alone (about 4%). The richness of natural astaxanthin over synthetic astaxanthin has drawn the attention of industrialists to cultivate and extract it via two stage cultivation process. However, the cultivation in photobioreactors is expensive, and converting it in soluble form so that it can be easily assimilated by our digestive system requires downstream processing techniques which are not cost-effective. This has made the cost of astaxanthin expensive, prompting pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies to switch over to synthetic astaxanthin. This review discusses the chemical character of astaxanthin, more inexpensive cultivating techniques, and its bioavailability. Additionally, the antioxidant character of this microalgal product against many diseases is discussed, which can make this natural compound an excellent drug to minimize inflammation and its consequences.

Address: Diatom Nanoengineering and Metabolism Laboratory (DNM), School of Applied Science, Dr. Harisingh Gour Central University, Sagar 470003, India.; Diatom Nanoengineering and Metabolism Laboratory (DNM), School of Applied Science, Dr. Harisingh Gour Central University, Sagar 470003, India.; Metabolism, Bioengineering of Microalgal Metabolism and Applications (MIMMA), Biology of Organisms, Stress, Health and Environment, Le Mans University, IUML-FR 3473 CNRS, 72000 Le Mans, France.; Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering, Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Ambala 133203, India.; State Forensic Science Laboratory, Madhuban 132037, India.; Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Korea Maritim and Ocean University, Busan 49112, Republic of Korea.; Department of Botany, Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur 313001, India.; School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.; Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun 248007, India.; Metabolism, Bioengineering of Microalgal Metabolism and Applications (MIMMA), Biology of Organisms, Stress, Health and Environment, Le Mans University, IUML-FR 3473 CNRS, 72000 Le Mans, France.

DOI: 10.3390/md21030176

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https://medlineplus.gov/antioxidants.html

MeSH Terms: Antioxidants, Biological Availability, Xanthophylls, Carotenoids, Chlorophyceae