<i>Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous</i> Is a Safe Dietary Supplement with Potent Antioxidant Defense Enhancing Activity

<i>Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous</i> (<i>X. dendrorhous</i>), previously known as <i>Phaffia rhodozyma</i>, is a red yeast that is widely recognized as a rich source of carotenoids, particularly astaxanthin, which exhibits potent antioxidant activity and other health-promoting functions. However, there is currently a lack of research on the safety of consuming <i>X. dendrorhous</i>. To address this, we conducted an acute toxicity study followed by a 90-day subchronic toxicity trial to evaluate the safety of <i>X. dendrorhous</i> and investigate its <i>in vivo</i> antioxidant activity. In the acute toxicity study, Sprague-Dawley rats were administered a maximum of 12 g/kg body weight of <i>X. dendrorhous</i> powder by gavage and survived without any adverse effects for 14 days. In the subsequent subchronic toxicity test, the rats were randomly divided into five groups, each with free access to their diet adulterated with 0% (control), 2.5% (low), 5% (middle), 10% (high), and 20% (extreme high) <i>X. dendrorhous</i> powder. The rats' behavior, body weight, and food intake were monitored during the 90-day experiment. At the end of the experiment, urine, blood, and organs were collected from the rats for biochemical testing. Additionally, the antioxidant activity in rat sera was evaluated. The results of the acute toxicity test demonstrated that the LD50 of <i>X. dendrorhous</i> was greater than 12 g/kg body weight, indicating that the substance was not toxic. Throughout the 90-day period of subchronic toxicity, the triglyceride levels of male rats fed with 10 and 20% <i>X. dendrorhous</i> increased to 1.54 ± 0.17 and 1.55 ± 0.25 mmol/L (<i>P</i> < 0.05), respectively. This may be attributed to the elevated fat content of the diet in the high-dose and extreme high-dose groups, which was 5.5 and 2.5% higher than that in the control, respectively. Additionally, the white pulp in the spleen exhibited an increase, and the number of white blood cells in the extreme high-dose group increased by 2.41 × 10⁹/L (<i>P</i> < 0.05), which may contribute to enhanced immunity. Finally, the body weight, food intake, blood and urine indexes, and histopathological examination results of the organs of the rats did not demonstrate any regular toxic effects. With the adulteration of <i>X. dendrorhous</i>, the activity of GSH-Px in male rats increased by 16-36.32%. The activity of GSH-Px in female rats of the extreme high-dose group increased by 14.70% (<i>P</i> < 0.05). The free radical scavenging ability of ABTS in male rats in the two high-dose groups exhibited an increase of 6.5 and 11.41% (<i>P</i> < 0.05). In contrast, the MDA content of male rats in the extreme high-dose group demonstrated a reduction of 2.73 nmol/mL (<i>P</i> < 0.05). These findings indicate that <i>X. dendrorhous</i> has no toxic effects, can be taken in high doses, and has a beneficial antioxidant effect that may enhance the body's immunity.