Ghanaian Researcher Studies Microbial Pigment That Can Improve Human Health

11:52, June 1, 2023

The health benefits of astaxanthin explored by Osman Kanwugu

Astaxanthin is a naturally occurring carotenoid pigment found in marine organisms such as salmon, shrimp and lobster. In aquaculture, astaxanthin is primarily used as a pigment to give fish a distinctive color and high market value. Osman Kanwugu, a Research Engineer of the Department of Technology of Organic Synthesis at the Ural Federal University, is among the researchers who have recently been exploring the various biological and health benefits of astaxanthin beyond its pigment properties. In an interview with Sputnik Africa, the Ghanaian PhD student talked about his research and the useful properties of the microbial pigment.

"The main property of astaxanthin that is widely known in the scientific community is its superior antioxidant properties. If you compare astaxanthin to vitamin C for example, I am sure many people know that vitamin C is a very common antioxidant. Astaxanthin is actually several times stronger in terms of antioxidant capacity than vitamin C. I think somewhere around 100 times or even more. If you compare it to vitamin E, which is also a good antioxidant, astaxanthin is again many times better," Kanwugu said.

Osman Kanwugu is currently working on how to produce this substance using microorganisms. He is also studying the effects of astaxanthin on animal and human health.

In aquaculture, astaxanthin is added to the feed of farmed fish to give them the distinctive pink or orange color that consumers associate with high quality. However, in addition to its use in aquaculture, research has shown that astaxanthin has numerous health benefits that make it useful in the nutraceutical and cosmetic industries.

"In other words, it has excellent antioxidant properties. Studies have also shown that it has some neuroprotective properties, skin rejuvenation properties, good for the eyes and things like that," Kanwugu said.

According to the researcher, astaxanthin's unique structure allows it to penetrate cell membranes and protect cells from oxidative stress. This is the root cause of many diseases. When the body produces more free radicals than it can remove, oxidative stress occurs, which can lead to inflammation and other serious diseases. Astaxanthin's unique antioxidant properties make it useful in the treatment and prevention of these conditions.

"The other important fact is that astaxanthin is also able to stimulate a very important antioxidant pathway in the human body called Nrf2. This pathway is basically a key regulator of redox metabolism in humans. In animals, there are probably 100 or more enzymes [proteins that act as biological catalysts] that actually have antioxidant or detoxifying properties," Kanwugu said.

• The full interview is available on Sputnik Africa
• The audio recording of the conversation is also available on the portal

The news article was translated by UrFU International Marketing Office. 
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