14 The Bioeconomy of Production of Microalgal Pigments
341
Phycocyanin reduces edema, release of histamines, myeloperoxidase activity,
prostaglandins and leukotriene in the inflamed tissues. Thus, phycocyanin is potentially beneficial in pathological conditions involving oxidative stress and inflammation. Phycocyanin also exhibits anticancer properties by reducing the tumor necrosis
factor (TNF-α) in serum of the endotoxin treated mice and it also exhibited a neuroprotective effect in the cell cultures of rat cerebella granules (Sekar and Chandramohan 2008). In addition, phycocyanin derived from S. platensis exhibited dose
and time-dependent growth inhibition of human leukemic K562 cells (Subhashini
et al. 2004). Phycocyanin also led to prostate cancer cell apoptosis by enhancing
the effect of anticancer medication topotecan (Gantar et al. 2012). Further, Phycocyanin reduced the spread of human hepatoma HepG2 cell line in another study by
(Basha et al. 2008). Furthermore, R-phycoerythrin subunits were used for treating
mouse tumor S180 cells and human SMC 7721 carcinoma cells (Huang et al. 2002).
Allophycocyanin (APC) at concentrations not toxic to the host cells, inhibited cytopathic effects by inducing enterovirus-71 as reported by (Shih et al. 2003). Along
with phycocyanin, allophycocyanin also has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory
properties and hence, APC is also a potential therapeutic agent.
14.3.5 Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin with C 40 H 52 O 4 as molecular formula is a xanthophyll carotenoid and
a red fat-soluble pigment. Haematococcus pluvialis is one of the best green algal
sources of organic astaxanthin as it represents 90% of the total carotenoids (Ranga
et al. 2009). The basic astaxanthin structure has two rings in terminal linked by a
chain of polyene. It possesses keto (C = O) and hydroxyl groups on each ring of
ionone that are responsible for its unique esterification ability and other exclusive
properties (Ma and Chen 2001). Likewise, conjugated double bonds (hydroxyl and
keto group) are accountable for the red astaxanthin color. These bonds make this
pigment a better antioxidant as it donates electrons and lead to free radical and stable
product formation, thus terminating the free radical chain reactions in living organisms. Closed tubular bioreactors are industrially explored for astaxanthin production
from H. pluvialis (Lopez et al. 2006). Actively growing cells of haematococcus
biomass are fragile and breaks easily, therefore the recovery of astaxanthin from
hard walls of haematocysts is studied by (Mendes-Pinto et al. 2001). Settling and
centrifugation are the steps involved in the biomass harvesting of microalgae. Finally,
the biomass are broken to improve astaxanthin bioavailability and then dried. The
biomass product, that are dried, is either encapsulated directly or used for extraction
of astaxanthin (Olaizola and Huntley 2003).
341
Phycocyanin reduces edema, release of histamines, myeloperoxidase activity,
prostaglandins and leukotriene in the inflamed tissues. Thus, phycocyanin is potentially beneficial in pathological conditions involving oxidative stress and inflammation. Phycocyanin also exhibits anticancer properties by reducing the tumor necrosis
factor (TNF-α) in serum of the endotoxin treated mice and it also exhibited a neuroprotective effect in the cell cultures of rat cerebella granules (Sekar and Chandramohan 2008). In addition, phycocyanin derived from S. platensis exhibited dose
and time-dependent growth inhibition of human leukemic K562 cells (Subhashini
et al. 2004). Phycocyanin also led to prostate cancer cell apoptosis by enhancing
the effect of anticancer medication topotecan (Gantar et al. 2012). Further, Phycocyanin reduced the spread of human hepatoma HepG2 cell line in another study by
(Basha et al. 2008). Furthermore, R-phycoerythrin subunits were used for treating
mouse tumor S180 cells and human SMC 7721 carcinoma cells (Huang et al. 2002).
Allophycocyanin (APC) at concentrations not toxic to the host cells, inhibited cytopathic effects by inducing enterovirus-71 as reported by (Shih et al. 2003). Along
with phycocyanin, allophycocyanin also has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory
properties and hence, APC is also a potential therapeutic agent.
14.3.5 Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin with C 40 H 52 O 4 as molecular formula is a xanthophyll carotenoid and
a red fat-soluble pigment. Haematococcus pluvialis is one of the best green algal
sources of organic astaxanthin as it represents 90% of the total carotenoids (Ranga
et al. 2009). The basic astaxanthin structure has two rings in terminal linked by a
chain of polyene. It possesses keto (C = O) and hydroxyl groups on each ring of
ionone that are responsible for its unique esterification ability and other exclusive
properties (Ma and Chen 2001). Likewise, conjugated double bonds (hydroxyl and
keto group) are accountable for the red astaxanthin color. These bonds make this
pigment a better antioxidant as it donates electrons and lead to free radical and stable
product formation, thus terminating the free radical chain reactions in living organisms. Closed tubular bioreactors are industrially explored for astaxanthin production
from H. pluvialis (Lopez et al. 2006). Actively growing cells of haematococcus
biomass are fragile and breaks easily, therefore the recovery of astaxanthin from
hard walls of haematocysts is studied by (Mendes-Pinto et al. 2001). Settling and
centrifugation are the steps involved in the biomass harvesting of microalgae. Finally,
the biomass are broken to improve astaxanthin bioavailability and then dried. The
biomass product, that are dried, is either encapsulated directly or used for extraction
of astaxanthin (Olaizola and Huntley 2003).