Skin aging is influenced by a combination of endogenous factors (genetics, metabolism, hocrmone, and etc) and exogenous (UV rays in sunlight, pollution, chemicals, and etc).

Astaxanthin (ASX) is a very powerful antioxidant that protects skin health, prevents skin cancer, has the ability to repair DNA, boost immunity, ... widely used in industries, such as aquaculture, food, cosmetics, nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and etc.

ASX has a crimson color, found in some marine organisms, especially in some algae, shrimp, salmon, and etc. In which, the chlorophyll, Haematococcus pluvialis is considered to be self-synthesizing the highest ASX content in nature. However, current studies mainly use microalgae as raw food for humans or animals; Research on the active ingredient of microalgae is rare, although it has high applicability and economic value.

In the project "Research to create products with anti-aging effects from the active ingredient astaxanthin extracted from the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis", the group of authors at the Center for the Youth Development of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City extracted ASX from microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis in Sacha inchi oil solvent, coconut oil and grape seed oil. Then, the test evaluated skin's anti-aging ability in mice.

In 6 weeks, after causing skin aging in mice with UV rays, mice were applied ASX extract from algae. The results showed that the group that was applied with the extract had thinner epidermal thickness (about 1/2) compared to the control group (without ASX). This proves that ASX extract is able to protect mouse skin from UV rays and at concentration 2.35µg / cm² gives the best results.

The project was accepted by the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City in the past year. This is the initial scientific basis for further research and application in production of anti-aging skin products from microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis.