Safety assessment of astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis: Acute toxicity, genotoxicity, distribution and repeat-dose toxicity studies in gestation mice

Natural astaxanthin is the strongest antioxidant ever discovered, with many biological functions, and it is widely used in the fields of health food and biomedical research. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the plasma concentration, distribution and safety of astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis in pregnant mice. In the acute studies, the oral LD50 of astaxanthin was greater than 20 g/kg.bw. In mouse bone marrow micronucleus test, 10 g/kg.bw astaxanthin did not cause damage to chromosomes and mitotic apparatus of pregnant mice. After treatment with a single dose of 500 mg/kg.bw astaxanthin, the concentration of astaxanthin in plasma reached the maximum at 8 h (55.7 mu g/L), which was completely metabolized after 48 h. In the repeat-dose toxicity test, 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg.bw astaxanthin showed no abnormalities in terms of body and organ weight as well as hematological and biochemical parameters in clinical observation throughout the pregnancy. During pregnancy, the liver accumulated the highest content of astaxanthin, while the eye exhibited the least. The results indicated that administration of astaxanthin from H. pluvialis throughout pregnancy had no adverse effect on mice.