Department of Ophthalmology, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
Ophthalmology Unit, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Mar Drugs. 2020 May 1;18(5):239. doi: 10.3390/md18050239.
Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring red carotenoid pigment belonging to the family of xanthophylls, and is typically found in marine environments, especially in microalgae and seafood such as salmonids, shrimps and lobsters. Due to its unique molecular structure, astaxanthin features some important biologic properties, mostly represented by strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activities. A growing body of evidence suggests that astaxanthin is efficacious in the prevention and treatment of several ocular diseases, ranging from the anterior to the posterior pole of the eye. Therefore, the present review aimed at providing a comprehensive evaluation of current clinical applications of astaxanthin in the management of ocular diseases. The efficacy of this carotenoid in the setting of retinal diseases, ocular surface disorders, uveitis, cataract and asthenopia is reported in numerous animal and human studies, which highlight its ability of modulating several metabolic pathways, subsequently restoring the cellular homeostatic balance. To maximize its multitarget therapeutic effects, further long-term clinical trials are warranted in order to define appropriate dosage, route of administration and exact composition of the final product.
虾青素是一种天然存在的红色类胡萝卜素色素，属于叶黄素家族，通常存在于海洋环境中，特别是在微藻和三文鱼、虾和龙虾等海鲜中。由于其独特的分子结构，虾青素具有一些重要的生物学特性，主要表现为强大的抗氧化、抗炎和抗凋亡活性。越来越多的证据表明，虾青素在预防和治疗几种眼部疾病方面是有效的，从眼睛的前极到后极。因此，本综述旨在全面评估虾青素在眼部疾病管理中的临床应用。这种类胡萝卜素在视网膜疾病、眼表疾病、葡萄膜炎、白内障和视疲劳中的疗效在许多动物和人类研究中都有报道，这些研究强调了它调节多种代谢途径的能力，从而恢复细胞的内稳态平衡。为了最大限度地发挥其多靶点治疗效果，需要进行进一步的长期临床试验，以确定最终产品的适当剂量、给药途径和确切成分。
