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Pathogens
Volume 14
Issue 8
10.3390/pathogens14080791
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Antiviral Activity of Haematococcus pluvialis Algae Extract Is Not Exclusively Due to Astaxanthin

by
Paula Peinsipp
1,2,
Tanja Gerlza
1,
Julia Kircher
3,
Kurt Zatloukal
3,
Corinna Jäger
2,
Peter Pucher
2 and
Andreas J. Kungl
1,*
1
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, Schubertstraße 1, 8010 Graz, Austria
2
BDI-BioLife Science GmbH, Parkring 18, 8074 Raaba-Grambach, Austria
3
Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Pathogens 2025, 14(8), 791; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080791 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 14 July 2025 / Revised: 28 July 2025 / Accepted: 5 August 2025 / Published: 7 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virus–Host Cell Interactions and Research of New Antivirals)
Versions Notes

Abstract

In this study, astaxanthin, which has previously been shown to have antiviral effects, was examined for its dose-dependent potency to inhibit cellular SARS-CoV-2 infections. Naturally occurring astaxanthin is obtained and orally administered as ASX-oleoresin, a composition of different astaxanthin fatty acid esters. We therefore hypothesized that the compound’s beneficial effects are not only related to astaxanthin. Thus, a “green” algae extract (i.e., poor astaxanthin content < 0.2%; ASXp) of the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis, as well as an astaxanthin-rich algae extract (astaxanthin content = 20%; ASXr), were tested in in vitro cellular viral infection assays. Thereby, it was found that both extracts reduced viral infections significantly. As a potential mode of inhibitory action, the binding of ASX-oleoresin to the viral spike protein was investigated by isothermal fluorescence titration, revealing binding affinities of Kd = 1.05 µM for ASXr and Kd = 1.42 µM for ASXp. Based on our data, we conclude that several ASX-oleoresin fractions from H. pluvialis exhibit antiviral activity, which extends beyond the known antioxidant activity of astaxanthin. From a molecular dynamic simulation of ASX-oleoresin, fatty acid domains could be considered as activity-chaperoning factors of ASX. Therefore, microalgae biomass should be considered in the future for further antiviral activities.
Keywords: astaxanthin; algae; antiviral effect; Haematococcus pluvialis; SARS-CoV-2 astaxanthin; algae; antiviral effect; Haematococcus pluvialis; SARS-CoV-2

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MDPI and ACS Style

Peinsipp, P.; Gerlza, T.; Kircher, J.; Zatloukal, K.; Jäger, C.; Pucher, P.; Kungl, A.J. Antiviral Activity of Haematococcus pluvialis Algae Extract Is Not Exclusively Due to Astaxanthin. Pathogens 2025, 14, 791. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080791

AMA Style

Peinsipp P, Gerlza T, Kircher J, Zatloukal K, Jäger C, Pucher P, Kungl AJ. Antiviral Activity of Haematococcus pluvialis Algae Extract Is Not Exclusively Due to Astaxanthin. Pathogens. 2025; 14(8):791. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080791

Chicago/Turabian Style

Peinsipp, Paula, Tanja Gerlza, Julia Kircher, Kurt Zatloukal, Corinna Jäger, Peter Pucher, and Andreas J. Kungl. 2025. "Antiviral Activity of Haematococcus pluvialis Algae Extract Is Not Exclusively Due to Astaxanthin" Pathogens 14, no. 8: 791. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080791

APA Style

Peinsipp, P., Gerlza, T., Kircher, J., Zatloukal, K., Jäger, C., Pucher, P., & Kungl, A. J. (2025). Antiviral Activity of Haematococcus pluvialis Algae Extract Is Not Exclusively Due to Astaxanthin. Pathogens, 14(8), 791. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080791

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