Astaxanthin Inhibits Cancer

DÜSSELDORF, Germany--Astaxanthin fights cancer by inhibiting intercellular communication between cancer cells, according to a study published the Journal of Nutrition (135, 11:2507-11, 2005).

In the in vitro study, primary human skin fibroblasts were exposed to astaxanthin and canthaxanthin from 0.001 to 10 µmol/L, and intercellular gap junctional communication was measured with a dye transfer assay. After incubation with canthaxanthin for 24 hours and 72 hours, intercellular communication increased, whereas it was strongly diminished by astaxanthin at levels > 0.1 µmol/L. Reduced intercellular communication returned to normal reversed when astaxanthin treatment was withdrawn. The researchers concluded astaxanthin affects channel function by changing the phosphorylation pattern of connexin43, an intercellular gap junction protein.