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

• Published in: Antioxidants
• Main Author: Abdol Wahab N.R.; Meor Mohd Affandi M.M.R.; Fakurazi S.; Alias E.; Hassan H.
• Format: Review
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI 2022
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85138502966&doi=10.3390%2fantiox11091676&partnerID=40&md5=8d59a0f210e71b2d0de3a6c18209626b

Astaxanthin (3,3′-dihydroxy-4,4′-diketo-β-β carotene), which belongs to the xanthophyll class, has shown potential biological activity in in vitro and in vivo models including as a potent antioxidant, anti-lipid peroxidation and cardiovascular disease prevention agent. It is mainly extracted from an alga, Haematococcus pluvialis. As a highly lipid-soluble carotenoid, astaxanthin has been shown to have poor oral bioavailability, which limits its clinical applications. Recently, there have been several suggestions and the development of various types of nano-formulation, loaded with astaxanthin to enhance their bioavailability. The employment of nanoemulsions, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, chitosan-based and PLGA-based nanoparticles as delivery vehicles of astaxanthin for nutritional supplementation purposes has proven a higher oral bioavailability of astaxanthin. In this review, we highlight the pharmacological properties, pharmacokinetics profiles and current developments of the nano-formulations of astaxanthin for its oral delivery that are believed to be beneficial for future applications. The limitations and future recommendations are also discussed in this review. © 2022 by the authors.