Physical and chemical properties of astaxanthin

Astaxanthin chemical name: 3, 3 '- two hydroxy -4, 4' - two keto beta carotene, cytochrome Aj067-69 CAS No: 472-61-7, a molecular formula of C40H52O4, the molecular weight of 596.86.For both ends of the hydroxyl (-OH) optical reasons,astaxanthin has the 3 different patterns of3S-3'S, 3R-3' S, 3R-3'R (also known as left-handed, meso, right) , in which a mixture of artificial synthetic astaxanthin is 3 kinds of structure of astaxanthin (sinistral dextral accounted for 25%, accounted for 25%, eliminating internal rotating about 50%), few antioxidant activity, be quite different from astaxanthin  of aquaculture organisms such as  salmon (in the trans structure -- 3S-3 S type)  .

  Astaxanthin of yeast source is 100% right-handed (3R-3'R),with part of antioxidant activity.

  The two sources of astaxanthin mainly used innon food animals and supplies coloring.Only astaxanthin of algae source is 100% L (3S-3'S) structure, with the strongest biological activity.