Chemical Properties
Drak-Purple Solid
Usage
Carotenoid pigment found mostly in animal organisms, but also occuring in plants; thought to be the precursor of astacin. Animal studies indicate that it reduces blood glucose and ameliorates several
parameters of the diabetic metabolic syndrome. It improves blood flow and vascular tone in models of hypertension.
Definition
ChEBI: Astaxanthin is a carotenone that consists of beta,beta-carotene-4,4'-dione bearing two hydroxy substituents at positions 3 and 3' (the 3S,3'S diastereomer). A carotenoid pigment found mainly in animals (crustaceans, echinoderms) but also occurring in plants. It can occur free (as a red pigment), as an ester, or as a blue, brown or green chromoprotein. It has a role as an anticoagulant, an antioxidant, a food colouring, a plant metabolite and an animal metabolite. It is a carotenone and a carotenol. It derives from a hydride of a beta-carotene.
Biotechnological Production
Commercial production processes are known in which astaxanthin production is
performed in closed photobioreactors by Cyanotech Corporation (Hawaii).
This mode of cultivation strongly improves process control, algae predation, and
production, but the fermentation costs are significantly higher. These higher
costs have to be compensated by high productivity levels and more efficient
downstream processing in order to make a competitive product.
Most of the astaxanthin available on the world market has been produced
chemically since the 1950s, for example, by DSM and BASF, and the process is
efficient and cost-effective. There are also microbial sources, for example,
X. dendrorhous (previously described as P. rhodozyma), and the alga H. pluvialis.
X. dendrorhous has been widely investigated as to its potential of astaxanthin
production for salmonids. This has resulted in a race between companies
in the 1980s and 1990s. Natural astaxanthin is currently available as a
spray-dried powder (5–10 mg astaxanthin/g), and is supplemented to fish feed to
give salmonid flesh its pink color. Another astaxanthin application is in the
nutraceutical market, as astaxanthin is regarded as a potential antioxidant.
With regard to production by algae, H. pluvialis is the only species commercially
cultivated for astaxanthin production. This green alga is able to grow under
autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic conditions. An example of the latter is
its ability to grow in the presence of acetate and light. Astaxanthin accumulates
in response to stress in lipid globules of the cells.
General Description
all-trans-Astaxanthin is a ketocarotenoid, most commonly identified in marine and aquatic animals, including krill, wild salmon, rainbow trout, microalgae, shells of lobster, shrimp, seafood products, etc. It is biologically known as a vitamin A precursor, and exhibits strong antioxidant property, much higher compared to vitamin E and β-carotene. Its role in food and the medicinal industry is also well-defined.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Astaxanthin is a potent carotenoid antioxidant found in marine algae, red yeast and many other plant and animal sources. Animal studies indicate that it reduces blood glucose and ameliorates several parameters of the diabetic metabolic syndrome. It improves blood flow and vascular tone in models of hypertension. In vitro studies indicate that it upregulates connexin 43 and thus, may be chemopreventive against cancer.
storage
-20°C, protect from light, stored under nitrogen,unstable in solution, ready to use.
