TY - JOUR T1 - Effect of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Inflammation and Cardiac Function in BALB/c Mice JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 2721 LP - 2725 VL - 30 IS - 7 AU - RURIKO NAKAO AU - O. LYNNE NELSON AU - JEAN SOON PARK AU - BRIDGET D. MATHISON AU - PAM A. THOMPSON AU - BOON P. CHEW Y1 - 2010/07/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/30/7/2721.abstract N2 - Astaxanthin is an antioxidant with immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. This study evaluated the use of dietary astaxanthin to decrease oxidative stress and improve cardiac function, thereby providing a potential cardioprotective supplement. Female BALB/c mice (8 weeks of age) were fed a semi-synthetic diet containing 0, 0.02 or 0.08% astaxanthin for 8 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography bi-weekly, and blood and tissue samples were collected at 8 weeks. Plasma astaxanthin concentrations increased (p<0.05) dose-dependently to 0.5 and 4 μmol/l in the astaxanthin-supplemented mice. Blood glutathione concentrations and lymphocyte mitochondrial membrane potential were not significantly affected by astaxanthin treatment. However, mice fed 0.08% astaxanthin had higher (p<0.05) heart mitochondrial membrane potential and contractility index compared to the control group. These results support the possible use of dietary astaxanthin for cardiac protection. ER -