I-Astaxanthin yi-keto carotenoid ekhutshwe kwi-Haematococcus Pluvialis kwaye i-fat-soluble. Ikho ngokubanzi kwihlabathi lebhayoloji, ngakumbi kwiintsiba zezilwanyana zasemanzini ezifana ne-shrimps, oononkala, intlanzi kunye neentaka, kwaye idlala indima ekunikezeni imibala. Zidlala iindima ezimbini kwizityalo kunye ne-algae, zifunxa amandla okukhanya kwi-photosynthesis kunye nokukhusela. chlorophyll kumonakalo okhanyayo. Sifumana i-carotenoids ngokutya okugcinwe eluswini, ukukhusela ulusu lwethu kwi-photodamage.
Uphononongo lufumene ukuba i-astaxanthin yi-antioxidant enamandla ene-1,000 amaxesha asebenzayo ngakumbi kune-vitamin E ekuhlambululeni ii-radicals zamahhala eziveliswa emzimbeni. Iiradicals zasimahla luhlobo lweoksijini engazinzanga ebandakanya ii-electron ezingasebenziyo eziphila ngokungenisa ii-electron ezisuka kwezinye iiathomu. Emva kokuba i-radical yamahhala isabela nge-molecule ezinzileyo, iguqulwa ibe yi-molekyuli ezinzileyo yamahhala, eqala ukuphendulwa kwe-chain of free radical combinations.Izazinzulu ezininzi zikholelwa ukuba unobangela wokuguga komntu ngumonakalo weselula ngenxa yokungalawulwa kwe-chain reaction. free radicals. I-Astaxanthin inesakhiwo esikhethekileyo se-molekyuli kunye ne-antioxidant enamandla kakhulu.