Astaxanthin Improves Vision
Due to its strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activities, astaxanthin is effective in the prevention and treatment of several eye diseases, including:
- Retinal diseases
- Cataract
- Asthenopia
Eye health is crucial, and the onset of diseases can reduce vision and affect the quality of life of patients. Common eye diseases are cataracts, ocular atrophy, corneal opacity, age-related macular degeneration, uncorrected refractive error, posterior capsular opacification, uveitis, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, undetermined disease and other disorders involving oxidative stress and inflammation.
Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring red carotenoid pigment belonging to the xanthophyll family. Due to its unique molecular structure, astaxanthin has a number of important biological properties including strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities. There is growing evidence that astaxanthin is effective in the prevention and treatment of several eye diseases, ranging from the anterior to the posterior pole of the eye.
Vision Improvement Mechanisms of Astaxanthin
As a member of xanthophylls, astaxanthin consists of two terminal rings joined by a polyene chain, plus two asymmetric carbons located at the 3,3' positions of the β-ionone ring with hydroxyl group (-OH) on either end of the molecule, which can stretch through the bilayer membrane, providing protection against oxidative stress by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both the inner and outer layers of the cellular membrane. Astaxanthin mainly benefits the vision in the following ways [1].
Oxidative stress is the result of a disruption of the delicate balance between cellular pro-oxidant and antioxidant responses and plays a key regulatory role in the pathogenesis of many human diseases. Figure 1 shows how the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can generate eye pathologies [2].
Fig. 1 Prolonged damage to biological macromolecules ROS-induced favors the onset of eye diseases
Due to its particularly strong antioxidant properties, astaxanthin can efficiently prevent ROS formation and exerts high scavenging activity towards hydroxyl radicals. It has been proved that astaxanthin can reduce death of retinal ganglion cells and increase stability of the ocular surface unit.
- Anti-inflammatory activity
Inflammatory mediators, which are upregulated in many ocular diseases, increase the expression of ROS, which likewise lead to enhanced secretion of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and matrix-remodeling factors, finally contributing to the maintenance of a vicious circle of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.
It has been reported that astaxanthin can suppress H2O2-induced NF-κB activation by inhibiting intracellular ROS accumulation. In addition, astaxanthin significantly improves neutrophil phagocytic and microbicidal capacity mostly by reducing deleterious effects of oxidative stress and by increasing intracellular calcium concentration, thus, the vision is improved.
Because of important biologic activity, apoptosis acts as a key pathogenic factor in several age-related human conditions, for example, eye disorders.
Astaxanthin has been shown to induce cancer cell apoptosis through a mitochondrial-dependent pathway. On the other hand, astaxanthin has been shown to significantly reduce retinal ganglion cells apoptosis that is responsible for the progression of retinal damage in glaucoma and in other optic neuropathies, as well as retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells death that causes age-related macular degeneration (AMD) development.
Growing evidence of astaxanthin's beneficial pleiotropic properties in the prevention and treatment of a wide range of eye diseases, ranging from the anterior to the posterior pole of the eye.
Alfa Chemistry is a professional supplier of high-grade natural astaxanthin products which can improve vision. For more information, please feel free to contact us.
References
- Giannaccare, G., Pellegrini, M., Senni, C., et al. Clinical Applications of Astaxanthin in the Treatment of Ocular Diseases: Emerging Insights. Marine Drugs, 2020, 18(5), 239.
- Maiuolo. J., Bulotta. R.M., Oppedisano. F., et al. Potential Properties of Natural Nutraceuticals and Antioxidants in Age-Related Eye Disorders. Life 2023, 13, 77.
