CHEBI:40968 - astaxanthin

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ChEBI Name astaxanthin
ChEBI ID CHEBI:40968
Definition A carotenone that consists of β,β-carotene-4,4'-dione bearing two hydroxy substituents at positions 3 and 3' (the 3S,3'S diastereomer). A carotenoid pigment found mainly in animals (crustaceans, echinoderms) but also occurring in plants. It can occur free (as a red pigment), as an ester, or as a blue, brown or green chromoprotein.
Stars This entity has been manually annotated by the ChEBI Team.
Secondary ChEBI IDs CHEBI:2895, CHEBI:40963
Supplier Information eMolecules:26949807, ZINC000100042059
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Astaxanthin is a keto-carotenoid within a group of chemical compounds known as carotenoids or terpenes. Astaxanthin is a metabolite of zeaxanthin and canthaxanthin, containing both hydroxyl and ketone functional groups. It is a lipid-soluble pigment with red coloring properties, which result from the extended chain of conjugated (alternating double and single) double bonds at the center of the compound. The presence of the hydroxyl functional groups and the hydrophobic hydrocarbons render the molecule amphiphilic. Astaxanthin is produced naturally in the freshwater microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis, the yeast fungus Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (also known as Phaffia rhodozyma) and the bacteria Paracoccus carotinifaciens. When the algae are stressed by lack of nutrients, increased salinity, or excessive sunshine, they create astaxanthin. Animals who feed on the algae, such as salmon, red trout, red sea bream, flamingos, and crustaceans (shrimp, krill, crab, lobster, and crayfish), subsequently reflect the red-orange astaxanthin pigmentation. Astaxanthin is used as a dietary supplement for human, animal, and aquaculture consumption. Astaxanthin from algae, synthetic and bacterial sources is generally recognized as safe in the United States. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved astaxanthin as a food coloring (or color additive) for specific uses in animal and fish foods. The European Commission considers it as a food dye with E number E161j. The European Food Safety Authority has set an Acceptable Daily Intake of 0.2 mg per kg body weight, as of 2019. As a food color additive, astaxanthin and astaxanthin dimethyldisuccinate are restricted for use in Salmonid fish feed only.
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Formula C40H52O4
Net Charge 0
Average Mass 596.83848
Monoisotopic Mass 596.38656
InChI InChI=1S/C40H52O4/c1-27(17-13-19-29(3)21-23-33-31(5)37(43)35(41)25-39(33,7)8)15-11-12-16-28(2)18-14-20-30(4)22-24-34-32(6)38(44)36(42)26-40(34,9)10/h11-24,35-36,41-42H,25-26H2,1-10H3/b12-11+,17-13+,18-14+,23-21+,24-22+,27-15+,28-16+,29-19+,30-20+/t35-,36-/m0/s1
InChIKey MQZIGYBFDRPAKN-UWFIBFSHSA-N
SMILES CC(\C=C\C=C(C)\C=C\C1=C(C)C(=O)[C@@H](O)CC1(C)C)=C/C=C/C=C(C)/C=C/C=C(C)/C=C/C1=C(C)C(=O)[C@@H](O)CC1(C)C
Roles Classification
Chemical Role(s): antioxidant
A substance that opposes oxidation or inhibits reactions brought about by dioxygen or peroxides.
Biological Role(s): animal metabolite
Any eukaryotic metabolite produced during a metabolic reaction in animals that include diverse creatures from sponges, insects to mammals.
food colouring
A food additive that imparts colour to food. In European countries, E-numbers for permitted food colours are from E 100 to E 199, divided into yellows (E 100-109), oranges (E 110-119), reds (E 120-129), blues and violets (E 130-139), greens (E 140-149), browns and blacks (E 150-159), and others (E 160-199).
plant metabolite
Any eukaryotic metabolite produced during a metabolic reaction in plants, the kingdom that include flowering plants, conifers and other gymnosperms.
Application(s): anticoagulant
An agent that prevents blood clotting.
food colouring
A food additive that imparts colour to food. In European countries, E-numbers for permitted food colours are from E 100 to E 199, divided into yellows (E 100-109), oranges (E 110-119), reds (E 120-129), blues and violets (E 130-139), greens (E 140-149), browns and blacks (E 150-159), and others (E 160-199).
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ChEBI Ontology
Outgoing astaxanthin (CHEBI:40968) has parent hydride β-carotene (CHEBI:17579)
astaxanthin (CHEBI:40968) has role animal metabolite (CHEBI:75767)
astaxanthin (CHEBI:40968) has role anticoagulant (CHEBI:50249)
astaxanthin (CHEBI:40968) has role antioxidant (CHEBI:22586)
astaxanthin (CHEBI:40968) has role food colouring (CHEBI:77182)
astaxanthin (CHEBI:40968) has role plant metabolite (CHEBI:76924)
astaxanthin (CHEBI:40968) is a carotenol (CHEBI:23045)
astaxanthin (CHEBI:40968) is a carotenone (CHEBI:35310)
Incoming astaxanthin dirhamnoside (CHEBI:208633) has functional parent astaxanthin (CHEBI:40968)
IUPAC Name
(3S,3'S)-3,3'-dihydroxy-β,β-carotene-4,4'-dione
Synonyms Sources
(3S,3'S)-astaxanthin ChemIDplus
3,3'-dihydroxy-β,β-carotene-4,4'-dione ChemIDplus
3,3'-dihydroxy-β-carotene-4,4'-dione ChemIDplus
all-trans-(3S,3'S)-astaxanthin ChemIDplus
all-trans-(3S,3'S)-astaxanthin UniProt
ASTAXANTHIN PDBeChem
Astaxanthin KEGG COMPOUND
astaxanthine ChemIDplus
E 161j ChEBI
ovoester ChemIDplus
Manual Xrefs Databases
Astaxanthin Wikipedia
AXT PDBeChem
C00000918 KNApSAcK
C08580 KEGG COMPOUND
HMDB0002204 HMDB
LMPR01070263 LIPID MAPS
MOL000055 COMe
View more database links
Registry Numbers Types Sources
1917937 Beilstein Registry Number Beilstein
1917937 Reaxys Registry Number Reaxys
472-61-7 CAS Registry Number KEGG COMPOUND
472-61-7 CAS Registry Number ChemIDplus
Citations
Tominaga K, Hongo N, Karato M, Yamashita E (2012)
Cosmetic benefits of astaxanthin on humans subjects.
Acta biochimica Polonica 59, 43-47 [PubMed:22428137]
[show Abstract]
Abadie-Guedes R, Guedes RC, Bezerra RS (2012)
The impairing effect of acute ethanol on spreading depression is antagonized by astaxanthin in rats of 2 young-adult ages.
Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research 36, 1563-1567 [PubMed:22432539]
[show Abstract]
Ryu SK, King TJ, Fujioka K, Pattison J, Pashkow FJ, Tsimikas S (2012)
Effect of an oral astaxanthin prodrug (CDX-085) on lipoprotein levels and progression of atherosclerosis in LDLR(-/-) and ApoE(-/-) mice.
Atherosclerosis 222, 99-105 [PubMed:22406426]
[show Abstract]
Ning Y, Li Q, Chen F, Yang N, Jin Z, Xu X (2012)
Low-cost production of 6G-fructofuranosidase with high value-added astaxanthin by Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous.
Bioresource technology 104, 660-667 [PubMed:22119431]
[show Abstract]
Liu J, Huang J, Jiang Y, Chen F (2012)
Molasses-based growth and production of oil and astaxanthin by Chlorella zofingiensis.
Bioresource technology 107, 393-398 [PubMed:22221991]
[show Abstract]
Kim DM, Hyun SS, Yun P, Lee CH, Byun SY (2012)
Identification of an emulsifier and conditions for preparing stable nanoemulsions containing the antioxidant astaxanthin.
International journal of cosmetic science 34, 64-73 [PubMed:21883294]
[show Abstract]
Chan KC, Pen PJ, Yin MC (2012)
Anticoagulatory and antiinflammatory effects of astaxanthin in diabetic rats.
Journal of food science 77, H76-80 [PubMed:22309505]
[show Abstract]
Etoh H, Suhara M, Tokuyama S, Kato H, Nakahigashi R, Maejima Y, Ishikura M, Terada Y, Maoka T (2012)
Auto-oxidation products of astaxanthin.
Journal of oleo science 61, 17-21 [PubMed:22188802]
[show Abstract]
Fassett RG, Coombes JS (2012)
Astaxanthin in cardiovascular health and disease.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) 17, 2030-2048 [PubMed:22349894]
[show Abstract]
Hernández-Marin E, Barbosa A, Martínez A (2012)
The metal cation chelating capacity of astaxanthin. Does this have any influence on antiradical activity?
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) 17, 1039-1054 [PubMed:22267192]
[show Abstract]
Alster J, Polívka T, Arellano JB, Hříbek P, Vácha F, Hála J, Pšenčík J (2012)
Self-assembly and energy transfer in artificial light-harvesting complexes of bacteriochlorophyll c with astaxanthin.
Photosynthesis research 111, 193-204 [PubMed:21833799]
[show Abstract]
He KH, Zou XL, Liu X, Zeng HY (2012)
[Determination of canthaxanthin and astaxanthin in egg yolks by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection].
Sichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition 43, 113-117 [PubMed:22455145]
[show Abstract]
Chiou TH, Place AR, Caldwell RL, Marshall NJ, Cronin TW (2012)
A novel function for a carotenoid: astaxanthin used as a polarizer for visual signalling in a mantis shrimp.
The Journal of experimental biology 215, 584-589 [PubMed:22279065]
[show Abstract]
Wade NM, Anderson M, Sellars MJ, Tume RK, Preston NP, Glencross BD (2012)
Mechanisms of colour adaptation in the prawn Penaeus monodon.
The Journal of experimental biology 215, 343-350 [PubMed:22189778]
[show Abstract]
Last Modified
24 February 2025