Nanotechnology-Abetted Astaxanthin Formulations in Multimodel Therapeutic and Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Astaxanthin (AXT) is one of the most important fat-soluble carotenoids that have abundant and diverse therapeutic applications namely in liver disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer treatment, protection of the nervous system, protection of the skin and eyes against UV radiation, and boosting the immune system. However, due to its intrinsic reactivity, it is chemically unstable, and therefore, the design and production processes for this compound need to be precisely formulated. Nanoencapsulation is widely applied to protect AXT against degradation during digestion and storage, thus improving its physicochemical properties and therapeutic effects. Nanocarriers are delivery systems with many advantages—ease of surface modification, biocompatibility, and targeted drug delivery and release. This review discusses the technological advancement in nanocarriers for the delivery of AXT through the brain, eyes, and skin, with emphasis on the benefits, limitations, and efficiency in practice.

Nanocarrier System: State-of-the-Art in Oral Delivery of Astaxanthin

“…Then, the amphiphilic phospholipids self-associated, forming bilayers [ 58 ]. Liposomes are highly stable enough to carry active ingredients such as vaccines, and steroids as well as mostly used to deliver lipophilic bioactive like astaxanthin [ 51 , 58 , 59 ]. The ability to protect the active constituents from degradation and improve drug targeting are the main reasons for liposomes being selected over the conventional dosage form as carrier [ 44 ].…”

“…These structures have been demonstrated to have resistance against enzymatic hydrolysis and acid media. Also, the structure allows encapsulation of both water- and lipid-soluble compounds, where the hydrophiles can settle in the vesicular or the bilayer surface aqueous phase while the hydrophobes can be encapsulated in the non-aqueous bilayer core [ 59 , 62 ]. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted on the incorporation of astaxanthin into niosomes, to date.…”

“…When astaxanthin was encapsulated into chitosan-based nanoparticles, it resulted in a sustained release profile, protected against GI degradation and improved solubility of astaxanthin in the core. It was also suggested that chitosan-based nanoparticles with sustain-released property are suitable for targeting astaxanthin towards specific sites along with enhancement of the bio-accessibility [ 59 ]. On top of that, the nano-sized chitosan-based formulations have enhanced water solubility due to the higher surface area.…”

Astaxanthin Carotenoid Modulates Oxidative Stress in Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells Isolated from Equine Metabolic Syndrome Affected Horses by Targeting Mitochondrial Biogenesis

“…Many reports have already evidenced the beneficial pharmacological properties of astaxanthin in terms of its anti-inflammatory, immune-stimulating, anticancer, antidiabetic and antioxidant activities [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]. Astaxanthin has been demonstrated to decrease hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress in pancreatic β-cells and to improve glucose and serum insulin levels in diabetics patients [ 44 ].…”

A Systematic Analysis and Prediction of the Target Space of Bioactive Food Compounds: Filling the Chemobiological Gaps

“…There is currently a large research effort in the identification of the biological mechanisms of action of food compounds from a molecular point of view, in order to find novel nutraceuticals and scaffolds for drug design, [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] as well as understanding the beneficial or harmful effects of foods on human health. [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] A paradigm of this is caffeine, that has been applied as template to develop adenosine receptor antagonists and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors, among other biological targets.…”