Comprehensive Review on Astaxanthin – Sources, Chemistry, Pharmacological Activities, Formulation Strategies, and Therapeutic Applications with marketed formulations

  • Unique Paper ID: 187339
  • PageNo: 4050-4057
  • Abstract:
  • The wide range of health benefits and variety of Pharacological activities of carotenoids have made them the focal point of industrial as well as academic research on a global scale. Astaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid renowned for its exceptional antioxidant potency, has attracted widespread scientific and pharmaceutical interest due to its diverse therapeutic activities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of astaxanthin, beginning with its natural and synthetic sources, structural chemistry, and physicochemical properties that influence its biological behavior. The pharmacological profile of astaxanthin including its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, ocular, and anticancer effects is critically examined. Special emphasis is placed on advanced formulation strategies such as nanoemulsions, liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, and microencapsulation systems, which have been developed to overcome astaxanthin’s inherent limitations related to poor aqueous solubility, instability, and low bioavailability. Furthermore, the review highlights recent progress in therapeutic applications, preclinical and clinical findings, and commercially available astaxanthin formulations currently marketed for health and wellness. Overall, this work consolidates current knowledge while identifying key research gaps, offering guidance for future development of astaxanthin-based nutraceuticals and pharmaceutical products.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{187339,
        author = {Mr. Rohan Dhepe and Dr. Vandana Patil and Pro. Reshma Patil and Dr. Sachindanand Angadiin},
        title = {Comprehensive Review on Astaxanthin – Sources, Chemistry, Pharmacological Activities, Formulation Strategies, and Therapeutic Applications with marketed formulations},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {6},
        pages = {4050-4057},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=187339},
        abstract = {The wide range of health benefits and variety of Pharacological activities of carotenoids have made them the focal point of industrial as well as academic research on a global scale. Astaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid renowned for its exceptional antioxidant potency, has attracted widespread scientific and pharmaceutical interest due to its diverse therapeutic activities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of astaxanthin, beginning with its natural and synthetic sources, structural chemistry, and physicochemical properties that influence its biological behavior. The pharmacological profile of astaxanthin including its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, ocular, and anticancer effects is critically examined. Special emphasis is placed on advanced formulation strategies such as nanoemulsions, liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, and microencapsulation systems, which have been developed to overcome astaxanthin’s inherent limitations related to poor aqueous solubility, instability, and low bioavailability. Furthermore, the review highlights recent progress in therapeutic applications, preclinical and clinical findings, and commercially available astaxanthin formulations currently marketed for health and wellness. Overall, this work consolidates current knowledge while identifying key research gaps, offering guidance for future development of astaxanthin-based nutraceuticals and pharmaceutical products.},
        keywords = {Astaxanthin, ROS. Photoprotection, Antioxidant, Beta carotene.},
        month = {November},
        }

Cite This Article

Dhepe, M. R., & Patil, D. V., & Patil, P. R., & Angadiin, D. S. (2025). Comprehensive Review on Astaxanthin – Sources, Chemistry, Pharmacological Activities, Formulation Strategies, and Therapeutic Applications with marketed formulations. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 12(6), 4050–4057.

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