Haematococcus pluvialis is a commercially important microalgae as a source of astaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid with applications in various industries including aquaculture, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and dietary supplements. Astaxanthin has attracted considerable interest because of its potential pharmacological effects, including antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities as well as reported neuro, cardiovascular, ocular, and skin-protective effects. Astaxanthin is increasingly popular as a dietary supplement and has been investigated for multiple biological activities to preserve skin health. The authors here report a novel UHPLC-MS/MS method for determination of isopentenyl pyrophosphate, geranyl diphosphate, farnesyl diphosphate, and geranylgeranyl diphosphate in H. pluvialis cells cultivated in various conditions. The method includes an optimized sample preparation protocol to increase the extraction efficiency of the isoprenoid diphosphates.
