A multi-functional MgF_(2)/polydopamine/hyaluronan-astaxanthin coating on the biodegradable ZE21B alloy with better corrosion resistance and biocompatibility for cardiovascular application

The cardiovascular diseases(CVD)continue to be the major threat to global public health over the years,while one of the effective methods to treat CVD is stent intervention.Biomedical magnesium(Mg)alloys have great potential applications in cardiovascular stents benefit from their excellent biodegradability and absorbability.However,excessive degradation rate and the delayed surface endothelialization still limit their further application.In this study,we modified a Mg-Zn-Y-Nd alloy(ZE21B)by preparing MgF_(2) as the corrosion resistance layer,the dopamine polymer film(PDA)as the bonding layer,and hyaluronic acid(HA)loaded astaxanthin(ASTA)as an important layer to directing the cardiovascular cells fate.The electrochemical test results showed that the MgF_(2)/PDA/HA-ASTA coating improved the corrosion resistance of ZE21B.The cytocompatibility experiments also demonstrated that this novel composite coating also selectively promoted endothelial cells proliferation,inhibited hyperproliferation of smooth muscle cells and adhesion of macrophages.Compared with the HAloaded rapamycin(RAPA)coating,our MgF_(2)/PDA/HA-ASTA coating showed better blood compatibility and cytocompatibility,indicating stronger multi-functions for the ZE21B alloy on cardiovascular application.

Protective effects of CY-09 and astaxanthin on NaIO_(3)-induced photoreceptor inflammation via the NLRP3/autophagy pathway

AIM:To study the effect of the NLRP3/autophagy pathway on the photoreceptor inflammatory response and the protective mechanism of CY-09 and astaxanthin(AST).METHODS:ICR mice were intraperitoneally injected NaIO_(3),CY-09,AST successively and divided into 5 groups,including the control,NaIO_(3),NaIO_(3)+CY-09,NaIO_(3)+AST,and NaIO_(3)+CY-09+AST groups.Spectral domain optical coherence tomography and flash electroretinogram were examined and the retina tissues were harvested for immunohistochemistry,enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and Western blotting.Retinal pigment epithelium cell line(ARPE-19 cells)and mouse photoreceptor cells line(661W cells)were also treated with NaIO_(3),CY-09,and AST successively.Cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay.Apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry.Changes in autophagosome morphology were observed by transmission electron microscopy.Quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR)was used to detect NLRP3 and caspase-1.NLRP3,caspase-1,cleaved caspase-1,p62,Beclin-1,and LC3 protein levels were measured by Western blotting.IL-1βand IL-18 were measured by ELISA.RESULTS:Compared with the control group,the activity of NaIO_(3)-treated 661W cells decreased within 24 and 48h,apoptosis increased,NLRP3,caspase-1,IL-1βand IL-18 levels increased,and autophagy-related protein levels increased(P<0.05).Compared with NaIO_(3) group,CY-09 and AST inhibited apoptosis(P<0.05),reduced NLRP3,caspase-1,IL-1βand IL-18 expression(P<0.05),and inhibited autophagy.Compared with the other groups,CY-09 combined with AST significantly decreased NLRP3 expression and inhibited the expression of the autophagy-related proteins p62,Beclin-1,and LC3 in vitro and in vivo(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:CY-09 and AST inhibit NaIO_(3)-induced inflammatory damage through the NLRP3/autophagy pathway in vitro and in vivo.CY-09 and AST may protect retina from inflammatory injury.

Structural characteristics of phenylboronic acid-modified astaxanthin ester and its effect on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis by blocking reactive oxygen species and maintaining intestinal homeostasis

A novel and reactive oxygen species(ROS)responsive astaxanthin phenylboronic acid derivative(AstaDPBA)was constructed by grafting phenylboronic acid(PBA)onto astaxanthin succinate diester(AstaD),and its chemical structure and physicochemical property were identified.AstaD-PBA could effectively improve the ROS quenching ability in the lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammation model.Then,the bioactivity of AstaD-PBA was studied by 4 zebrafish ROS-responsive infl ammatory models induced by LPS,copper(Cu^(2+)),high-fat diet,and dextran sodium sulfate(DSS).The results suggest that AstaD-PBA might have high biosafety and the best effect on ulcerative colitis(UC)induced by DSS.Furtherly,AstaDPBA significantly alleviated and treated weight loss and colonic shrinkage,inhibited infl ammatory cytokines,and maintained microbiota homeostasis to improve UC in C57BL/6J mice.Alistipes and Oscillibacter were expected to be considered UC marker fl ora according to the Metastats analysis and Pearson correlation Mantel test(P<0.01)of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data.In conclusion,AstaD-PBA has been promised to be a functional compound to improve UC and maintain intestinal microbiota homeostasis.

Metabolomics of astaxanthin hyperaccumulation in Haematococcus pluvialis under high light stress

Variation in metabolite profiles of Haematococcus pluvialis(a type of unicellular green algal)under light stress is a key issue of study at the present.To investigate the effect of light intensity on accumulation of astaxanthin in H.pluvialis,a 26-day batch culture experiment of H.pluvialis under the light intensity levels at 73,127,182,236,and 291μmol/(m^(2)·s)was conducted.Therefore,the optimal light intensity and the corresponding metabolic pathways of accumulation in H.pluvialis were determined.Results show that 236μmol/(m^(2)·s)was the optimum light intensity to induce astaxanthin accumulation,at which a maximum content of 9.01 mg/L was achieved on Day 24.A total of 132 metabolites were identified and quantified,of which 38 differential metabolites were highlighted and classified,including 3 fatty acids or intermediates,5 amino acids or derivatives,5 carbohydrates or intermediates,16nucleoside derivatives,and 9 other metabolites using LC-MS/MS technique.Subsequently,16 statistically significant differential metabolic pathways were enriched and annotated based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analysis between the control and the 236μmol/(m^(2)·s)treatment group(P<0.05).In addition,the bioprocesses included cellular basal metabolism and signaling systems,such as carbohydrate metabolism,amino acid metabolism,glycerol and derivatives metabolism,nucleotide and derivative metabolism,and inositol phosphate metabolism were activated and regulated under strong light stress conditions.Moreover,4 hub metabolites containing D-glucose-6-phosphate,L-tyrosine,glycerol-3-phosphate,and L-glutamine were identified,based on which the associated metabolic network was constructed.The study provided a metabolomic view of astaxanthin accumulation in H.pluvialis under strong light stress.

Determination of astaxanthin and astaxanthin esters in shrimp shell by HPLC

A method for determination of astaxanthin and astaxanthin eaters in shrimp shell by high performance liquid chromatography is established.Shrimp shell are addressed with 5%hydrochloric acid to remove calcium ions.After shell is dried,organics from shrimp shell are extracted with anhydrous ethanol.The alcohol extrative of the shrimp shell is mixed with the ammonium sulfate to extract astaxanthin by aqueous two-phase extraction.The crude astaxanthin is collected,which is distributed in the middle layer of the aqueous two-phase layer.After distilled water is added to the crude astaxanthin,the aqueous solution is centrifuged,and the previous step is repeated for several times.The precipitation in centrifuge tube is collected and dried.The crude astaxanthin dried is dissolved with acetone,and the sample solution is separated by TLC.Every pigment on the TLC plate is collected and dissolved with acetone.The pigments are determined by high performance liquid chromatograph.The results show that aqueous two-phase system,3 mL alcohol extractive of astaxanthin and 4.5 mL 20%ammonium sulfate,can be used to acquire crude astaxanthin.The wavelength of the maximum peak of astaxanthin in ethanol solution is 472 nm.A variety of pigments can be separated from the crude astaxanthin by thin-layer chromatography,including free astaxanthin,astaxanthin monoester,astaxanthin diester,echinenone and other substances.It can be seen from high performance liquid chromatography that the appearance time of free astaxanthin is from 4 min to 5.5 min,and the appearance time of astaxanthin monoester is from 10.5 min to 27.8 min.The method is simple about the sample pretreatment and feasible about the determination of astaxanthin and astaxanthin esters in shrimp shell.

Comparison of the Digestion and Absorption Characteristics of Docosahexaenoic Acid-Acylated Astaxanthin Monoester and Diester in Mice

Docosahexaenoic acid-acylated astaxanthin(DHA-AST)esters exhibit distinct bioactivities in improving brain function.However,the digestion and absorption characteristics of DHA-AST esters in vivo are unclear,thereby restricting the molecular mechanism analysis of their superior activities.This study compared the digestion and absorption characteristics of DHA-AST monoester and diester by determining the levels of AST and DHA in the serum,liver,small intestinal content and wall,and feces at different time points after a single-dose oral administration of the esters.After oral gavage with 2 mg AST equivalent of the DHA-AST monoester and diester for 18 h,the excretion rates were approximately 51%and 84%,respectively.This result indicates that DHA-AST monoester was better than diester for the absorption of AST.The results in serum,liver,and small intestinal content and wall also agreed with this finding.Moreover,the excretion rates of DHA in the feces at 24 h in the DHA-AST monoester and diester groups were approximately 40%and 36%after gavage with 5 mg DHA equivalent,respectively.This result indicates that DHA-AST diester exhibited a better tendency than monoester for the absorption of DHA.Interestingly,the results in the liver and small intestinal wall showed an apparent difference,indicating that DHA-AST diester was better than monoester for the absorption of DHA.These findings provide a scientific basis for the molecular mechanism analysis and utilization of DHA-AST monoester and diester as functional ingredients.

Combined conventional/antioxidant“Astaxanthin”treatment for male infertility:a double blind,randomized trial

Aim： To evaluate the treatment of male infertility with a strong natural antioxidant, in addition to conventional treatment. Methods： Using a double blind, randomized trial design, 30 men with infertility of ≥12 months and female partners with no demonstrable cause of infertility received conventional treatment according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization （WHO）, and either a strong antioxidant Astaxanthin 16 rag/day （AstaCarox, AstaReal AB, Gustavsberg, Sweden） or placebo for 3 months. The effects of treatment on semen parameters, reactive oxygen species （ROS）, zona-free hamster oocyte test, serum hormones including testosterone, luteinizing hormone （LH）, follicle stimulating hormone （FSH） and Inhibin B, and spontaneous or intrauterine insemination （IUI）-induced pregnancies were evaluated. Results： ROS and Inhibin B decreased significantly and sperm linear velocity increased in the Astaxanthin group （n = 11）, but not in the placebo group （n = 19）. The results of the zona-free hamster oocyte test tended to improve in the Astaxanthin group in contrast with the placebo group, though not reaching statistical significance. The total and per cycle pregnancy rates among the placebo cases （10.5 % and 3.6 %） were lower compared with 54.5 % and 23. 1% respectively in the Astaxanthin group （P=0.028; P=0.036）. Conclusion： Although the present study suggests a positive effect of Astaxanthin on sperm parameters and fertility, the results need to be confirmed in a larger trial before recommending Astaxanthin for the complementary treatment of infertile men. （Asian J Androl 2005 Sep; 7： 257-262）

Optimization of acidic extraction of astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma

Optimization of a process for extracting astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma by acidic method was investigated, regarding several extraction factors such as acids, organic solvents, temperature and time. Fractional factorial design, central composite design and response surface methodology were used to derive a statistically optimal model, which corresponded to the following optimal condition： concentration of lactic acid at 5.55 mol/L, ratio of ethanol to yeast dry weight at 20.25 ml/g, temperature for cell-disruption at 30 ℃, and extraction time for 3 min. Under this condition, astaxanthin and the total carotenoids could be extracted in amounts of 1294.7 μg/g and 1516.0 μg/g, respectively. This acidic method has advantages such as high extraction efficiency, low chemical toxicity and no special requirement of instruments. Therefore, it might be a more feasible and practical method for industrial practice.

Studies on optimization of nitrogen sources for astaxanthin production by Phaffia rhodozyma

Fermentation of Phaffia rhodozyma is a major method for producing astaxanthin, an important pigment with industrial and pharmaceutical application. To improve astaxanthin productivity, single factor and mixture design experiments were used to investigate the effects of nitrogen source on Phaffia rhodozyma cultivation and astaxanthin production. Results of single factor experiments showed nitrogen source could significantly affect P. rhodozyma cultivation with respect to carbon source utilization, yeast growth and astaxanthin accumulation. Further studies of mixture design experiments using (NH4)2SO4, KNO3 and beef extract as nitrogen sources indicated that the proportion of three nitrogen sources was very important to astaxanthin production. Validation experiments showed that the optimal nitrogen source was composed of 0.28 g/L (NH4)2SO4, 0.49 g/L KNO3 and 1.19 g/L beef extract. The kinetic characteristics of batch cultivation were investigated in a 5-L pH-stat fermentor. The maximum amount of biomass and highest astaxanthin yield in terms of volume and in terms of biomass were 7.71 mg/L and 1.00 mg/g, respectively.

Effects of dietary supplementation with algal astaxanthin on growth,pigmentation,and antioxidant capacity of the blood parrot (Cichlasoma citrinellum × Cichlasoma synspilum )

An algal astaxanthin feeding trial was carried out to investigate the ef fects of natural astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis as feed additives on growth, pigmenting efficacy and antioxidant capacity in blood parrot(C ichlasoma citrinellum × C ichlasoma. synspilum). Tissue total antioxidant capacity(TAC), superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT) and maleic dialdehyde(MDA) were chosen as measures of its antioxidant capacity. All fish which received an astaxanthin(from micro-algal H. pluvialis) supplemented diet with 400 mg/kg of astaxanthin, after 50 days of feeding, the astaxanthin-fed fish displayed a pinkcolored skin and the control-fed fish displayed a grayish skin. For the growth, the weight gains of controlfed fish and astaxanthin-fed fish were 200% and 300%, respectively. Samples of skin and scales were used for analysis of total carotenoids and astaxanthin content, and fish feeding astaxanthin showed significantly( P <0.05) higher concentrations than the control group, indicating that the pigmentation of this fish had been significantly improved by dietary astaxanthin. Compared with the control fish, pigmented fish had lower SOD, CAT and MDA and higher TAC. It can be concluded that supplementation with dietary astaxanthin could eff ectively enhance growth, skin coloration and the antioxidant capacity of this fish. This study will provide a reference for application of natural astaxanthin from H. pluvialis as feed additives in blood parrot artificial breeding. Our data is also useful in ornamental fish farming, especially when the retentivity of astaxanthin in the skin and scales are involved. It is leading to the possibility of increasing the pigmentation of farmed-fish by adding the powdered form of H. pluvialis to the diet as an ef fective pigment.

Stability and changes in astaxanthin ester composition from Haematococcus pluvialis during storage

In this paper,we investigated the effects of temperature,oxygen,antioxidants,and corn germ oil on the stability of astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis under different storage conditions,and changes in the composition of astaxanthin esters during storage using high performance liquid chromatography and spectrophotometry.Oxygen and high temperatures(22–25°C) significantly reduced the stability of astaxanthin esters.Corn germ oil and antioxidants(ascorbic acid and vitamin E)failed to protect astaxanthin from oxidation,and actually significantly increased the instability of astaxanthin.A change in the relative composition of astaxanthin esters was observed after 96 weeks of long-term storage.During storage,the relative amounts of free astaxanthin and astaxanthin monoesters declined,while the relative amount of astaxanthin diesters increased.Thus,the ratio of astaxanthin diester to monoester increased,and this ratio could be used to indicate if astaxanthin esters have been properly preserved.If the ratio is greater than 0.2,it suggests that the decrease in astaxanthin content could be higher than 20%.Our results show that storing algal powder from H.pluvialis or other natural astaxanthin products under vacuum and in the dark below 4°C is the most economical and applicable storage method for the large-scale production of astaxanthin from H.pluvialis.This storage method can produce an astaxanthin preservation rate of at least 80%after 96 weeks of storage.

Efficient Extraction of Astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma with Polar and Non-polar Solvents after Acid Washing

method of extracting astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma with various solvents after acid washing was investigated. The extraction efficiency was distinctly increased after acid washing of P. rhodozyma cells. When the concentration of HCl was 0.4 mol.L^-1, the highest extraction efficiency of astaxanthin was achieved which was about three times higher than the control. Acetone or benzene as single polar or non-polar solvent was the most ef- fective solvent in our research. With a combination of isopropanol and n-hexane （volume ratio of 2 ： 1）, the maxi- mal extraction efficiency was achieved, approximately 60% higher than that obtained with a single solvent. The liquid-solid ratio and the extracting time were also optimized. Under the optimum extraction conditions, the extraction yield of astaxanthin exceeded 98%.

A new approach to promote astaxanthin accumulation via Na_2WO_4 in Haematococcus pluvialis

The optimum concentration of Na_2 WO_4 was explored in relation to the cell density and astaxanthin content in Haematococcus pluvialis. Then, the cellular morphology, nitrate reductase(NR) activity, soluble sugar and protein contents, and chlorophyll ?uorescence were measured, and the transcriptional expression of carotenogenic genes was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed that 3.0 mmol/L of Na_2 WO_4 was the optimum concentration to induce astaxanthin accumulation, with a maximum content of 49.41±0.13 pg/cell reached on the tenth day. The NR activity decreased signi?cantly and continually after Na_2 WO_4 treatment. The soluble sugar content increased gradually during the experimental period and was eventually signi?cantly higher than that in the control. The soluble protein content increased rapidly,reached a maximum in day 0.5 and day 1 and then decreased. The ef fective photochemical effciency of PSII( F v'/F m') and light saturation( E k) ?rst decreased and then tended to stabilize, and NADP +-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH) gene expression was correlated with photosynthesis. The transcriptional expression of ipi, psy and bkt was signi?cantly increased compared with that in the control after application of Na_2 WO_4, and the relative expression of ipi reached the highest level on the ?fth day, with a 98.03±1.92-fold increase. Our results describe a new approach to promote the ef fective accumulation of astaxanthin in H. pluvialis by NR inhibitor Na_2 WO_4.

Application of derivative ratio spectrophotometry for determination of β-carotene and astaxanthin from Phaffia rhodozyma extract

A derivative ratio spectrophotometric method was used for the simultaneous determination of β-carotene and astaxanthin produced from Phaffia rhodozyma. Absorbencies of a series of the standard carotenoids in the range of 441 nm to 490 nm demonstrated that their absorptive spectra accorded with Beer’s law and that the additivity when the concentrations of β-carotene and astaxanthin and their mixture were within the range of 0 to 5 μg/ml, 0 to 6 μg/ml, and 0 to 6 μg/ml, respectively. When the wavelength interval (?λ) at 2 nm was selected to calculate the first derivative ratio spectra values, the first derivative amplitudes at 461 nm and 466 nm were suitable for quantitatively determining β-carotene and astaxanthin, respectively. Effect of divisor on derivative ratio spectra could be neglected; any concentration used as divisor in range of 1.0 to 4.0 μg/ml is ideal for calculating the derivative ratio spectra values of the two carotenoids. Calibration graphs were established for β-carotene within 0?6.0 μg/ml and for astaxanthin within 0?5.0 μg/ml with their corresponding regressive equations in: y=?0.0082x?0.0002 and y=0.0146x?0.0006, respectively. R-square values in excess of 0.999 indicated the good linearity of the calibration graphs. Sample recovery rates were found satisfactory (>99%) with relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 5%. This method was suc- cessfully applied to simultaneous determination of β-carotene and astaxanthin in the laboratory-prepared mixtures and the extract from the Phaffia rhodozyma culture.

Concomitant NH_4^+ Secretion During Astaxanthin Synthesis in Haematococcus pluvialis Under High Irradiance and Nitrogen Defi-cient Conditions

The present study is focused on protein degradation during astaxanthin synthesis in Haematococcus plu- vialis under high irradiance and nitrogen deficient conditions. It was found that with the onset of astaxanthin synthesis in the cultures of high light and nitrogen-free （HF）, high light and nitrogen-repletion （HR）, and low light and nitrogen-free （LF）, （1） endopeptidase （EP） activities increased along with decrease in protein content, （2） asparagine in HF and HR rose significantly before the first 4 and 5 day, but fell after that time. While, it increased slowly and continuously in LF, （3） ammonium increased continuously in HF and HR, whereas in LF, it was detected on the sixth day, and increased slowly on the following days. By contrast, in low light and nitrogen-repletion culture, （LR）, the contents of protein and asparagine as well as EP activity were maintained relatively constant, no astaxanthin and ammonium were detected. Furthermore, when HF was sealed and bubbled with CO2-free gas （02 and N2）, astaxan- thin content increased as the protein level decreased. These results strongly suggest that （1） the degraded protein served as a substitutive carbon source, to some extent, for the biosynthesis of astaxanthin, （2） endopeptidase was involved in the degradative process, （3） for detoxification, part of the ammonium generated by protein degradation was transiently stored in asparagine, whereas the rest of it was expelled into the culture broth.

Extraction of Astaxanthin from Euphausia pacific Using Subcritical 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane

Euphausia pacific is an important source of natural astaxanthin. Studies were carried out to assess the extractability of astaxanthin from E. pacific using subcritical 1, 1, 1,2-tetrafluoroethane （R134a）. To examine the effects of multiple process variables on the extraction yield, astaxanthin was extracted under various conditions of pressure （30-150bar）, temperature （303-343 K）, time （10-50rain）, flow rate （2-10gmin-1）, moisture content （5.5%-63.61%）, and particle size （0.25-0.109mm）. The results showed that the extraction yield increased with temperature, pressure, time and flow rate, but decreased with moisture content and particle size. A maximum yield of 87.74% was obtained under conditions of 100bar, 333K, and 30min with a flow rate of 6gmin-1 and a moisture content of 5.5%. The substantial astaxanthin yield obtained under low-pressure conditions demonstrates that subcritical R134a is a good alternative to CO2 for extraction of astaxanthin from E. pacific.

Accurate quantification of astaxanthin from Haematococcus crude extract spectrophotometrically

The influence of alkali on astaxanthin and the optimal working wave length for measurement of astaxanthin from Haematocoecus crude extract were investigated, and a spectrophotometric method for precise quantification of the astaxanthin based on the method of Boussiba et al. was established. According to Boussiba＇s method, alkali treatment destroys chlorophyll. However, we found that： 1） carotenoid content declined for about 25% in Haematococcus fresh cysts and up to 30% in dry powder of Haematococcus broken cysts after alkali treatment; and 2） dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO）-extracted chlorophyll of green Haematococeus bares little absorption at 520-550 nm. Interestingly, a good linear relationship existed between absorbance at 530 nm and astaxanthin content, while an unknown interference at 540-550 nm was detected in our study. Therefore, with 530 nm as working wavelength, the alkali treatment to destroy chlorophyll was not necessary and the influence of chlorophyll, other carotenoids, and the unknown interference could be avoided. The astaxanthin contents of two samples were measured at 492 nm and 530 nm; the measured values at 530 nm were 2.617 g/100 g and 1.811 g/100 g. When compared with the measured values at 492 nm, the measured values at 530 nm decreased by 6.93% and 11.96%, respectively. The measured values at 530 nm are closer to the true astaxanthin contents in the samples. The data show that 530 nm is the most suitable wave length for spectrophotometric determination to the astaxanthin in Haematococcus crude extract.

Anti-inflammatory effects of astaxanthin against fungal keratitis

AIM:To characterize effect of astaxanthin(ASX)in Aspergillus fumigatus(A.fumigatus)induced keratitis in mouse model.METHODS:In vivo,fungal keratitis mouse model was established in C57BL/6 mice using A.fumigatus,followed by ASX or dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)treatment.Clinical responses were evaluated by clinical score and myeloperoxidase(MPO)assay.Inflammatory cytokines were assessed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR),Western blot,immunofluorescence,and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay(ELISA).RESULTS:In animal model,ASX improved corneal transparency and clinical response,suppressed the expression of inflammatory cytokine like IL-1β,TNF-α,and HMGB-1.Neutrophil levels have been shown to decrease in ASX-treated cornea by immunofluorescence and MPO.TLR2 and TLR4 levels were lower in ASX-treated group than DMSO-treated.CONCLUSION:ASX can suppress inflammatory response and reduce inflammatory cytokine production in mice model with A.fumigatus keratitis.

DYNAMIC CHANGES OF INORGANIC NITROGEN AND ASTAXANTHIN ACCUMULATION IN HAEMATOCOCCUS PLUVIALIS

This study on dynamic changes of culture color, astaxanthin and chlorophylls, inorganic N including N NO - 3, N NO - 2 and N NH + 4 in batch culture of Haematococcus pluvialis exposed to different additive nitrate concentration showed (1) ast/chl ratio was over 0.8 for brown and red algae, but was usually less than 0.5 for green and yellow algae; (2) N NO - 3, in general, was unstable and decreased, except for a small unexpected increase in nitrate enriched treatment groups; (3) measurable amounts of N NO - 2 and N NH + 4 were observed respectively with three change modes although no external nitrite and ammonia were added into the culture; (4) a non linear correlation between ast/chl ratio (or color) changes and the levels of N NO - 3 , N NO - 2 , N NH + 4 in H. pluvialis culture; (5) up and down variation of the ast/chl ratio occurred simultaneously with a perceptible color change from yellow to brown (or red) when N NO - 3, N NO - 2 and N NH + 4 fluctuated around 30, 5, 5 μmol/L respectively; (6) existence of three dynamic modes of N NO - 3, N NO - 2 and N NH + 4 changes, obviously associated with initial external nitrate; (7) the key level of total inorganic N concentration regulating the above physiological changes during indoor cultivation was about 50 μmol/L; and (8) 0.5-10 mmol/L of nitrate was theoretically conducive to cell growth in batch culture.

Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical potential of natural bioactive pigment:astaxanthin

Astaxanthin(3,3′-dihydroxy-β,β-carotene-4,4′-dione)is an orange-red,lipophilic keto-carotenoid pigment.It is majorly found in marine ecosystems particularly in aquatic animals such as salmon,shrimp,trout,krill,crayfish,and so on.It is also synthesized in microalgae Heamatococcus pluvialis,Chlorococcum,Chlorella zofingiensis,red yeast Phaffia rhodozyma and bacterium Paracoccus carotinifaciens.Some aquatic and terrestrial creatures regarded as a primary and secondary sources of the astaxanthin producing and accumulating it through their metabolic pathways.Astax-anthin is the powerful antioxidant,nutritional supplement as well as promising therapeutic compound,observed to have activities against different ravaging diseases and disorders.Researchers have reported remarkable bioactivities of astaxanthin against major non-communicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases,cancer,diabetes,neurodegenerative,and immune disorders.The current review discusses some structural aspects of astaxanthin.It fur-ther elaborates its multiple potencies such as antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,anti-proliferative,anti-cancer,anti-obese,anti-diabetic,anti-ageing,anti-TB,anti-viral,anti-COVID 19,neuro-protective,nephro-protective,and fertility-enhanc-ing properties.These potencies make it a more precious entity in the preventions as well as treatments of prevalent systematic diseases and/or disorders.Also,the review is acknowledging and documenting its powerful bioactivities in relation with the pharmaceutical as well as nutraceutical applicability.