Physiological function
1. Astaxanthin antioxidant
It is an excellent antioxidant.
Astaxanthin's powerful antioxidant activity is due to its ability to stabilize the membrane structure, reduce membrane permeability, and restrict peroxide promoters from entering cells.
Protects important intracellular molecules from oxidative damage.
At the same time, astaxanthin may have the potential to become a pro-oxidant and induce oxidative stress.
This antioxidant effect is manifested by prolonging the time that low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is oxidized, thereby reducing the occurrence of atherosclerosis.
In addition, experiments have shown that astaxanthin can increase antioxidant enzyme activity and protein expression. Different doses of astaxanthin significantly increase the protein expression of catalase and superoxide dismutase in animal cells, and its biological activity There is also a significant improvement, and these substances all play a good antioxidant role in the body.
2. Anti-cancer effect of astaxanthin
An investigation of the relationship between dietary carotenoid intake and cancer incidence or mortality found that overall cancer incidence or mortality was significantly inversely related to carotenoid intake.
Comparing the anti-tumor activities of various carotenoids, astaxanthin has the strongest effect.
The anti-tumor activity of astaxanthin may be related to its signaling between cells, the induction and production of xenobiotic metabolism enzymes, and the regulation of immune responses related to tumor cells.
Astaxanthin also has a strong inhibitory effect on the proliferation of cancer cells. High concentrations of astaxanthin can kill tumor cells.
Studies have found that astaxanthin can effectively control a variety of cancers, such as liver cancer, oral cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer and breast cancer.
3. Astaxanthin enhances immunity
Astaxanthin can significantly enhance the body's local and systemic immunity. This immunomodulatory property combined with antioxidant properties plays an important role in preventing the occurrence and spread of diseases.
The important thing is that astaxanthin can enhance the function of T cells in the body, increase the number of neutrophils and natural killer cells, and participate in the body's cellular immunity; astaxanthin can also increase the activity of B cells in the immune system and eliminate foreign invaders. Pathogens work by assisting in the production of antibodies and increasing the activity of other immune components, such as promoting the production of immunoglobulins and increasing the production of IgG (immunoglobulin G), IgA (immunoglobulin A) and IgM (immunoglobulin M) production, enhance humoral immune response, and improve animal immunity.
4. Coloring effect of astaxanthin
Carotenoids are the main pigment substances in aquatic animals, and astaxanthin accounts for the majority of carotenoids in aquatic animals. Therefore, it can be said that astaxanthin is the main pigment substance in aquatic animals.
Astaxanthin is the end point of carotenoid synthesis. After it enters the animal body, it can be stored directly in the tissue without modification or biochemical transformation. It has strong pigment deposition ability, making the skin and muscles of some aquatic animals appear healthy and bright. The color makes the eggs and feathers, skin, feet and neck of the birds appear healthy golden yellow or red.
Experiments have shown that adding astaxanthin to the feed not only turns the fish's epidermis yellow, but also increases the astaxanthin content in the muscles.
Application
1.Health food
Overseas, astaxanthin has been used as a food additive for food coloring, preservation and nutrition.
Astaxanthin is fat-soluble, has a bright red color and has strong antioxidant properties. It has both a coloring effect and a preservation effect on foods, especially foods containing a lot of lipids.
2. Astaxanthin medicines
The antioxidant and immune-promoting effects of astaxanthin can be used to make drugs to prevent oxidative tissue damage.
Studies have shown that astaxanthin can pass through the blood-brain barrier and protect the nervous system, especially the brain and spine, and can effectively treat ischemic repetitive perfusion injury, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's syndrome, Alzheimer's syndrome and other central nervous systems Damage; effectively prevents retinal oxidation and photoreceptor cell damage, and has good effects in improving retinal function. This research result has been patented.
3.Astaxanthin feed raw materials
The largest market for astaxanthin is in the feed industry, where it can be used as a feed additive mainly for fish (salmon, sturgeon, rainbow trout, sea bream, etc.), crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs, and poultry.
Astaxanthin has the same function as it does for humans in preventing and treating diseases in fish, shrimps, crabs and poultry. It can improve immunity and improve survival rates. It plays an important role in their normal growth and healthy breeding, and in improving survival and reproduction rates.
Astaxanthin can also increase the flavor of fish. It can directly serve as a precursor compound to form the flavor of salmon food, and can also promote the conversion of fatty acids or other lipid precursors into salmon flavor compounds.
4. Astaxanthin cosmetics
As a new cosmetic raw material, astaxanthin is widely used in various cosmetics such as creams, emulsions, lip balms, and skin care products due to its excellent properties.
Especially in the field of high-end cosmetics, natural astaxanthin, with its unique molecular structure and its antioxidant effect, can effectively quench free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays, prevent skin photoaging, reduce UVA and UVB damage to the skin, and prevent It can prevent the occurrence of skin cancer, delay cell aging, reduce skin wrinkles, reduce melanin deposition, and reduce freckles. It can maintain moisture and make the skin more elastic, tensile and moist.