Bioactivity spectrum of a nanoemulsion prepared from astaxanthin-hepatopancreas oil extract of Pacific white shrimp: an in vitro study

Astaxanthin, a bioactive red–orange carotenoid, was co-extracted with hepatopancreas oil from shrimp processing waste to develop an astaxanthin–hepatopancreas oil (AX-HO) nanoemulsion. The optimized nanoemulsion exhibited a mean droplet size of 213 nm and a zeta potential of −85.3 mV. In vitro studies showed that the nanoemulsion was non-toxic to normal L929 fibroblasts up to 100 µg/mL, while reducing HOS and HeLa cancer cell viability by 50% at 50 µg/mL. It also enhanced wound closure compared with the AX-HO extract and control and exhibited superior antioxidant activity, with a DPPH IC₅₀ of 12.61 µg/mL. The nanoemulsion further demonstrated ACE-inhibitory (IC₅₀: 7.89 µg/mL), antiallergic (IC₅₀: 37.15 µg/mL), and hyaluronidase-inhibitory (IC₅₀: 75.89 µg/mL) activities, along with anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cholinesterase-inhibitory, pancreatic-lipase-inhibitory, and UV-protective effects. Overall, the multifunctional bioactivity of AX-HO nanoemulsion highlights its potential as a natural ingredient for cosmetic, cosmeceutical, and functional applications.