ASTAXANTHIN - ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS IN CHICKEN-EMBRYO FIBROBLASTS

The antioxidant activity of astaxanthin against paraquat (PQ) induced oxidative stress in primary cultures of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) was assessed. Activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were measured as indices of oxidative stress. CEF incubated with 0.25 mM Pg for 18 h exhibited increased SOD and CAT activities and decreased GSH-Px activity compared to control. Incorporation of astaxanthin (0.1-10 nM) into 0.25 mM Pe treated CEF reduced SOD and CAT activities. Astaxanthin (0.1-10 nM) returned GSH-Px activity to its control value. CEF grown in astaxanthin enriched media (0.1-10 nM) were also oxidatively stressed by exposure to 0.25 mM PQ. In these studies, astaxanthin enrichment (0.1-10 nM) of the medium returned all antioxidant enzyme activities to those seen in control cells.