Hypotriglyceridemic effect of Anka (a fermented rice product of monascus sp.) in rats

Monascus ruber-Fermented Buckwheat (Red Yeast Buckwheat) Suppresses Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Cells

Although various treatments have been used for weight loss to date, obese people rarely have safe and effective treatment options. Therefore, the antiobesity effects of several natural compounds are being actively investigated. This study was conducted to investigate the antiadipogenic effects of Monascus ruber-fermented Fagopyrum esculentum (red yeast buckwheat, RYB) in 3T3-L1 cells. We assessed the intracellular lipid content and adipocyte differentiation by oil red O staining and the expression of genes and proteins associated with adipocyte differentiation by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting in 3T3-L1 cells. RYB dose dependently inhibited 3T3-L1 cell differentiation at concentrations of 50-800 μg/mL, without cytotoxic effects. It also suppressed the expression of adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α, and adipocyte-specific genes, such as adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), fatty acid synthase, and leptin, during preadipocyte differentiation into adipocytes. Furthermore, RYB reduced cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and cyclin expression and increased p21 and p27 expression, thus causing cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase. Collectively, these results suggest that RYB may be an effective nutraceutical for weight loss as indicated by its ability to suppress adipogenesis-specific gene expression and cause cell cycle arrest at the G1/S interphase.

Protective effects of Cholestin on ethanol induced oxidative stress in rats

BACKGROUND

Male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups as follows: group A, basal diet; group B, basal diet with Cholestin at 0.1667 g kg⁻¹ body weight (BW); groups C-F, oral feeding of ethanol at 7.9 g kg⁻¹ BW; groups D-F, Cholestin in diet at 0.1667, 0.3333 and 0.5 g kg⁻¹ BW respectively; group G, silymarin in diet at 200 mg kg⁻¹ BW.

RESULTS

The results showed that treatment with Cholestin for 8 weeks reduced the impact of ethanol toxicity on serum markers of liver damage: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The antioxidant system was significantly enhanced: plasma and hepatic thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) levels were lowered while hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), ethanol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities and non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C and GSH) were elevated.

CONCLUSION

Cholestin shows a protective effect against hepatotoxicity indices in ethanol-fed rats comparable to that of silymarin, as supported by the evaluation of liver histopathology. The data suggest that Cholestin exerts its hepatoprotective effect by decreasing lipid peroxidation and improving antioxidants status, thus proving itself as an effective antioxidant in ethanol-induced oxidative damage in rats.

Development of Monascus fermentation technology for high hypolipidemic effect

Monascus species has been used as the traditional food fungus in Eastern Asia for several centuries. Monascus-fermented products are gradually developed as the popular functional food for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, but we know that culture condition affects the hypolipidemic effect of Monascus-fermented product. In the past, the cholesterol-lowering agent--monacolin K--is regarded as the most important hypolipidemic agent. Two natural yellow pigments--monascin and ankaflavin--are also proven as novel hypolipidemic agents in recent years. However, the hypolipidemic effect of Monascus-fermented product should contribute from monacolin K, monascin, ankaflavin, and other unknown functional ingredients. In addition to hypolipidemic effect, the safety concern of Monascus-fermented product is involved in the levels of mycotoxin--citrinin. The hypolipidemic effect and the production of these functional metabolites or mycotoxin are influenced by many factors such as the choice of culture substrates, carbon and nitrogen source, pH value, extra nutrients, and so on. Therefore, this review focused on the effect of various culture conditions and nutrients on the functional metabolites production, hypolipidemic effect as well as citrinin concentration, and further organized the fermentation technologies used by previous studies for the promotion of hypolipidemic effect and safety.

Downregulation of hepatic lipoprotein assembly in rats by fermented products of Monascus pilosus

OBJECTIVE

Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis. The fermented products of Monascus sp. have been known for their antihypercholesterolemic effect; however, the studies mostly have focused on the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis in liver. In this study, we examined whether fermented products of Monascus pilosus have regulatory effects on the hepatic lipoprotein assembly.

METHODS

Male Wistar rats were fed 1% cholesterol diet for 2 wk. After hypercholesterolemia was induced, the animals were maintained on this cholesterol diet supplemented with M. pilosus-fermented products grown in regular medium/garlic-containing medium or garlic powder for another 6 wk. The concentration of blood lipids and the expression of proteins involved in lipoprotein assembly and hepatic antioxidation were assayed.

RESULTS

Maintenance on a 1% cholesterol diet for 2 wk significantly (P < 0.05) raised animals' blood lipid levels and increased the expression of intestinal microsomal triacylglycerol transfer protein, hepatic apolipoprotein B-100, and acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase. Supplementation of M. pilosus-fermented products or garlic powder significantly (P < 0.05) lowered animals' blood lipid levels and inhibited the expression of intestinal microsomal triacylglycerol transfer protein and hepatic apolipoprotein B-100. The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase was downregulated by the M. pilosus-fermented product grown in regular medium but not in garlic-containing medium. The expression of antioxidant enzymes was significantly upregulated by the M. pilosus-fermented product grown in garlic-containing medium.

CONCLUSION

Monascus sp.-fermented products exert the hypocholesterolemic effect by mechanisms other than the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis.

Two new Monascus metabolites with strong blue fluorescence isolated from red yeast rice

Red yeast rice obtained as cultures of Monascus AS3.4444 on rice was extracted and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Two new Monascus metabolites with similar fluorescence spectra (lambda ex = 396 nm, lambda em = 460 nm) and UV absorption spectra (lambda max = 386 nm) were detected. They were isolated by rechromatography on a silica gel column and semipreparative HPLC, and two strong blue fluorescent compounds were obtained. Their structures were elucidated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS), intensive ESI-MS, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, COSY, and HMBC) studies. High-resolution mass spectrometry indicated the molecular formulas C 21H 24O 5 and C 23H 28O 5. The two new compounds, named monasfluore A and monasfluore B, respectively, contain a alkyl side chain, gamma-lactone, and propenyl group, whereas the more lipophilic compound, monasfluore B, is a higher homologue of monasfluore A, with the more lipophilic octanoyl instead of the hexanoyl side chain.

Proteome changes in Caco-2 cells treated with Monascus-fermented red mold rice extract

Monascus-fermented red mold rice has been extensively used as a folk medicine for thousands of years. Monascus secondary metabolites, including monacolin K, monascorubrin, and ankaflavin, have been reported to have an antiproliferative effect on cancer cells. However, the cell machinery responsible for the antiproliferation of Monascus-fermented red mold rice treatment in cancer cells remains unclear. A proteomic approach using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and tandem mass spectrometry was used to identify proteins with modified expression in Caco-2 cells treated with Monascus-fermented red mold rice extract. A total of 20 proteins were identified with significantly altered expression (P < 0.05) in response to Monascus-fermented red mold rice extract treatment. The deregulated proteins that were identified included heat shock protein 70, protein kinase C epsilon type, clusterin-associated protein 1, and two tumor suppressors (N-chimaerin and calponin-2). Our results suggested the involvement of heat shock protein 70-mediated cytotoxicity in the Caco-2 cells treated with Monascus-fermented red mold rice extract.

Extracts of monascusus purpureus beyond statins —Profile of efficacy and safety of the use of extracts of monascus purpureus

Extracts of Monascus purpureus have always been considered a natural source of lovastatin, the precursor of the world's largest selling class of drugs. In actual fact, the fungus contains many other substances (flavonoids, polyunsaturated fats, pyrrolinic compounds etc.) with a wide variety of other actions. The most recent studies have shown that it has an action on the glycemic metabolism, and on the mechanisms of adipogenesis, also an effects on the endothelium and on postprandial vasodilation. These effects are more extensive and complex than those of statins alone. And new strains of Monascus purpureus have recently been patented where the presence of statins is only one of the therapeutic components of the fungus. In particular, the increase in secondary components, such as flavonoids, which coincides with a more complex therapeutic action, probably making the new extracts of Monascus purpureus, the ideal candidate for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome.

Red yeast rice extracts suppress adipogenesis by down-regulating adipogenic transcription factors and gene expression in 3T3-L1 cells

The effects of red yeast rice extracts (RE) on adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells were studied. RE were extracted from embryonic rice fermented with red yeast (Monascus ruber). These extracts significantly decreased glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity and lipid accumulation, a marker of adipogenesis, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, mRNA expression levels of both CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) alpha and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma, the key adipogenic transcription factors, were markedly decreased by RE. RE also inhibited the expression of PPARgamma at protein levels. RE decreased significantly gene expression of adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (aP2) and leptin, which are adipogenic marker proteins and C/EBPalpha and PPARgamma target genes. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of RE on adipocyte differentiation might be mediated through the down-regulated expression of adipogenic transcription factors and other specific genes.

Effects of a Novel Anti-Hyperlipidemic Agent, S-2E, on Blood Lipid Levels in Rats with Fructose-Induced Hypertriglyceridemia

Using rats with fructose-induced hypertriglyceridemia, an animal model of human hypertriglyceridemia, we investigated whether (+)-(S)-p-[1-(p-tert-butylphenyl)-2-oxo-4-pyrrolidinyl]-methoxybenzoic acid (S-2E), a novel anti-hyperlipidemic agent, reduced the elevated levels of triglyceride (TG) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), and then whether it elevated HDL-C levels. At doses of 3-30 mg/kg, S-2E reduced elevated TG levels and non-HDL-C levels simultaneously in a dose-dependent manner after a week. Furthermore, S-2E treatment at 10 mg/kg for 4 weeks showed similar effects, while the elongation of intervals between feeding periods led to further increases in these levels. Interestingly, S-2E increased blood HDL-C levels after 4 weeks of treatment. It is therefore reasonable to assume that S-2E may be useful to improve dyslipidemia such as hypertriglyceridemia and low levels of HDL-C.

Analyses of red fermented rice (angkak) and report of a newMonascus metabolite

A HPLC-based method for the analysis of red fermented rice and results obtained with it are presented. Formation of citrinin, red, orange and yellow pigments byMonascus depends on the culture substrate. Citrinin and some pigments are decomposed by heat. A newMonascus metabolite, monascodilone, its structure and preliminary data on its toxicity are reported.

Phenolic compounds in berries of black, red, green, and white currants (Ribes sp.)

Multiple health benefits associated with phenolic compounds have raised the interest in the contents of these plant metabolites in foods. Several phenolic compounds were quantified from berries of Ribes nigrum (black and green currants) and Ribes x pallidum (red and white currants), by using sequential extraction with ethyl acetate and methanol and an optimized reversed-phase HPLC method with diode array detection. The highest contents of anthocyanins (3,011 mg/kg fresh weight, expressed as the aglycon) and flavonol glycosides (100 mg/kg) were found in black currant. The lack of anthocyanins in the colorless (green, white) berries was associated with increased levels of phenolic acids, especially p-coumaric acid (80 mg/kg in green currant vs. 45 mg/kg in black currant) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (18 mg/kg in white currant vs. 3 mg/kg in red currant). Previously, proanthocyanidins have not been quantified from berries. This study showed that the contents of extractable (22-41 mg/kg) and nonextractable proanthocyanidins (32-108 mg/kg) are comparable to those of other phenolics, with the exception of anthocyanins in black currant. Our results suggest that anthocyanins dominate in black and red currants, whereas proanthocyanidins and phenolic acids are the predominant phenolic compounds in green and white currants.