Anti-inflammatory drugs targeting inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)have attracted considerable attention but still face low therapeutic outcomes and frequent side effects.Astaxanthin(ATX),a natural ketone,possesses potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.However,it faces problems such as poor water solubility,photothermal instability,and low bioavailability.Here,we employed a supramolecular encapsulation strategy to create a nanoscale oral delivery system for ATX(referred to as FC-ATX NPs)by coupling fucoidan(FUC)with chitosan oligosaccharides(COS).The obtained FC-ATX NPs exhibited a particular“bean pod”structure with uniform size,good encapsulation efficiency,excellent physical and chemical stability,pH-triggered intestinal targeted slow-release properties,and potent antioxidant capacity.In vitro cell culture experiments showed that FC-ATX NPs promoted cellular uptake and scavenged excessive intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS).In mouse models of colitis,FC-ATX NPs enhanced the drug absorption of intestinal epithelial cells and effectively accumulated at the site of inflammation.This work provides an efficient approach to enhance the bioavailability of ATX and has excellent application potential as an oral targeted delivery system for colitis therapy.
The aim of this research was to examine the effects of dietary inclusion of astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis in commercial fish feed on the colour and growth of red tilapia,Oreochromis sp..A 6-week feeding trial was conducted at concentration of astaxanthin at 0%(T1),4%(T2),8%(T3)and 12%(T4)in feed formulation to examine the growth performance,colour pigmentation on skin,texture analysis and carotenoid contents.Results showed an increment of certain growth parameter in fish fed with astaxanthin enriched diet.Increased in weight gain(WG),protein efficiency ratio(PER)was obtained in fish fed with astaxanthin enriched compared with control.All treatments with astaxanthin-enriched provided higher redness(a*)to skin than negative control that directly influence the colour of the fish.It can be concluded that inclusion of astaxanthin from green algae into commercial fish feed can be used as an alternative natural carotenoid source in Oreochromis sp.diets to ensure good pigmentation,hence improving the skin colour for more appealing and subsequently increase the market value of the fish.
Zuharlida Tuan HarithSuniza Mohd SukriNor Fatin Syuhada RemleeFatin Nursabriena Mohd SabirNik Nur Azwanida Zakaria
