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Evaluation of hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of astaxanthin and astaxanthin esters from microalga-Haematococcus pluvialis

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Abstract

Effect of isolated astaxanthin (ASX) and astaxanthin esters (ASXEs) from green microalga-Haematococcus pluvialis on hepatotoxicity and antioxidant activity against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced toxicity in rats was compared with synthetic astaxanthin (SASX). ASX, ASXEs, and SASX, all dissolved in olive oil, fed to rats with 100 and 250 μg/kg b.w for 14 days. They were evaluated for their hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity by measuring appropriate enzymes. Among the treated groups, the SGPT, SGOT and ALP levels were decreased by 2, 2.4, and 1.5 fold in ASXEs treated group at 250 μg/Kg b.w. when compared to toxin group. Further, antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione, superoxide dismutase and lipid peroxidase levels were estimated in treated groups, their levels were reduced by 30–50 % in the toxin group, however these levels restored by 136.95 and 238.48 % in ASXEs treated group at 250 μg/kg. The lipid peroxidation was restored by 5.2 and 2.8 fold in ASXEs and ASX treated groups at 250 μg/kg. The total protein, albumin and bilirubin contents were decreased in toxin group, whereas normalized in ASXEs treated group. These results indicates that ASX and ASXEs have better hepatoprotection and antioxidant activity, therefore can be used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications and also extended to use as food colorant.

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Acknowledgments

The award of Senior Research Fellowship to ARR by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, is gratefully acknowledged.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Cell Biotechnology Department, Central Food Technological Research Institute, (Constituent Laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Mysore, 570020, Karnataka, India

    A. Ranga Rao, R. Sarada & G. A. Ravishankar

  2. Biochemistry and Nutrition Department, Central Food Technological Research Institute, (Constituent Laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Mysore, 570020, Karnataka, India

    M. D. Shylaja

  3. Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia

    A. Ranga Rao

  4. Dayananda Sagar Institutions, Dr.C.D.Sagar Center for Life Sciences, Shavige Malleshwara Hills, 5th Floor, Kumaraswamy Layout, Bangalore, 560078, Karnataka, India

    G. A. Ravishankar

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  1. A. Ranga Rao
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Correspondence to A. Ranga Rao.

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Rao, A.R., Sarada, R., Shylaja, M.D. et al. Evaluation of hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of astaxanthin and astaxanthin esters from microalga-Haematococcus pluvialis . J Food Sci Technol 52, 6703–6710 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-1775-6

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