title: Astaxanthin as a Potential Neuroprotective Agent for Neurological Diseases.
abstract: Neurological diseases, which consist of acute injuries and chronic neurodegeneration, are the leading causes of human death and disability. However, the pathophysiology of these diseases have not been fully elucidated, and effective treatments are still lacking. Astaxanthin, a member of the xanthophyll group, is a red-orange carotenoid with unique cell membrane actions and diverse biological activities. More importantly, there is evidence demonstrating that astaxanthin confers neuroprotective effects in experimental models of acute injuries, chronic neurodegenerative disorders, and neurological diseases. The beneficial effects of astaxanthin are linked to its oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic characteristics. In this review, we will focus on the neuroprotective properties of astaxanthin and explore the underlying mechanisms in the setting of neurological diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China. haijwu@sina.com.
authors.forename: Haijian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China. huanjiangniu@163.com.
authors.forename: Huanjiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China. awshao@sina.com.
authors.forename: Anwen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China. chengwusy@sina.com.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 92350, USA.. Bjdixon@llu.edu.
authors.forename: Brandon J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China. zjmvip135@sina.com.
authors.forename: Jianmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China. yangsxsy@163.com.
authors.forename: Shuxu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China. srrsyrwang@sina.com.
authors.forename: Yirong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D024341:Xanthophylls; C005948:astaxanthine
keywords: apoptosis; astaxanthin; inflammation; neurological diseases; neuroprotection; oxidative stress