Monascin and Ankaflavin Act as Novel Hypolipidemic and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol-Raising Agents in Red Mold Dioscorea

Monascus species can produce various secondary metabolites of polyketide structure. In the current study, it is found that an interesting phenomenon, i.e., submerged culture of Monascus species in an aqueous solution majorly accumulated intracellular orange Monascus pigments exhibiting one peak at 470 nm with absorbance of 32 OD while extractive fermentation in a nonionic surfactant micelle aqueous solution produced extracellular and intracellular yellow Monascus pigments exhibiting one peak at 410 nm with absorbance 30 OD and 12 OD, respectively. The spectrum profiles of both intracellular and extracellular Monascus pigments were affected by surfactant loading, extractive fermentation time, and surfactant adding time. Meanwhile, the instability of orange Monascus pigments in the extracellular nonionic surfactant micelle aqueous solution was also confirmed experimentally. The mechanism behind this phenomenon is attributed to the export of intracellular yellow Monascus pigments into its broth by extractive fermentation. The transferring of intracellular yellow Monascus pigments into its broth blocks yellow Monascus pigments from further enzymatic conversion or eliminates the feedback inhibition of yellow Monascus pigments based on the biosynthetic pathway of Monascus pigments.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Accumulation of yellow Monascus pigments by extractive fermentation in nonionic surfactant micelle aqueous solution

Zhang

et al. 2014

“…It is also an anti-inflammatory agent that inhibits the 12-Otetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate-induced inflammatory response in mice (Akihisa et al 2005). In previous studies, we showed that the RMD may have hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects via its secondary metabolite MS (Lee et al 2010b;Shi and Pan 2010a). Chronic inflammation in muscle tissue is linked with type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and diabetic complications.…”

Section: Monascin (Ms)mentioning

confidence: 94%

Red mold, diabetes, and oxidative stress: a review

Shi

Pan

2012

Self Cite

Type 2 diabetes is a major health concern and a rapidly growing disease with a modern etiology, which produces significant morbidity and mortality. The optimal management of type 2 diabetes aims to control hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia to reduce overall risks. Diabetes and its complications usually develop as oxidative stress increases. Monascus-fermented rice, also called red mold rice or red mold dioscorea are used in China to enhance food color and flavor. Red mold-fermented products are popular health foods that are considered to have antiobesity, antifatigue, antioxidation, and cancer prevention effects. This review article describes the antidiabetic and antioxidative stress effects on humans and animals of red mold-fermented products or their secondary metabolites.

“…In addition, Monascus-fermented products were able to significantly inhibit atherosclerotic plaque formation in the heart aorta of highcholesterol diet-induced hamsters (Fig. 4) (Lee et al 2010). …”

Section: Effects Of Monascus-fermented Products On the Inhibition Of mentioning

confidence: 96%

Benefit of Monascus-fermented products for hypertension prevention: a review

Lee

Pan

2012

Self Cite

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been reported to play a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system thereby exerting an inhibition in nerve impulse, in turn ameliorating depression; in addition, recent study also reveals the anti-hypertensive effect of GABA in vivo. Edible fungi of the Monascus species have been used as traditional Chinese medicine in eastern Asia for several centuries. Monascus-fermented products possess a number of functional secondary metabolites, including anti-inflammatory pigments (such as monascin and ankaflavin), monacolins, dimerumic acid, and GABA. Several scientific studies have shown that these secondary metabolites have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anti-tumor activities. Moreover, many published reports have shown the efficacy of Monascus-fermented products in the prevention or amelioration of some diseases, including hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, and numerous types of cancer in recent studies. The current article discusses and provides evidence to elucidate the anti-hypertensive benefit of Monascus-fermented metabolites, including anti-inflammatory pigments and GABA.