Astaxanthin is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth as a supplement. Astaxanthin has been used safely by itself in doses of 4 to 40 mg daily for up to 12 weeks. It has been used safely in combination with other carotenoids, vitamins and minerals at 4 mg daily for up to 12 months. Early research suggests that a combination product (BioAstin) containing astaxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, and vitamin E taken by mouth 3 times daily for 8 weeks does not reduce pain in people with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Microglial cells are involved in protecting the brain and spinal cord from parasitic infections, as well. The phagocytosis of cerebral malaria and management of the damage caused by it is one example. Plasmodium falciparum is a parasite that causes malaria in humans.
Microglia. Microglia are the immune effector cells of the CNS and are present in abundance in the brain parenchyma. They constitute approximately 10-20% of the total population of glial cells in the adult (Vaughan and Peters 1974; Banati 2003). These cells are derived from blood-borne macrophages, which migrate into the CNS during development.