Monascus purpureus mold or fungus

Monascus purpureus is a species of mold that is purplish-red in color used to make red yeast rice and certain fermented foods in China and Japan. In Asian countries, red yeast rice is a dietary staple and is used to make rice wine, as a flavoring agent, and to preserve the flavor and color of fish and meat. There are other species of monascus, including monascus pilosus.

Composition of red yeast rice
Red yeast rice is a fermented product of rice on which red yeast Monascus purpureus has been grown. Red-Yeast-Rice contains several compounds collectively known as monacolins which block the formation of cholesterol. One of these compounds is called monacolin K. It inhibits HMG-CoA reductase and is also known as mevinolin or lovastatin. The product name for lovastatin is Mevacor, a prescription drug manufactured by Merck and Co..

Monascus purpureus fermented rice and prostate cancer cells
Chinese red yeast rice versus lovastatin effects on prostate cancer cells with and without androgen receptor overexpression.
J Med Food. 2008 Dec; Hong MY, Seeram NP, Zhang Y, Heber D. Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
Chinese red yeast rice, a food herb made by fermenting Monascus purpureus Went yeast on white rice, contains a mixture of eight different monacolins that inhibit cholesterol formation and also red pigments with antioxidant properties. Monacolin K (MK) is identical to lovastatin. Both lovastatin and red yeast rice contain statins, which could inhibit de novo cholesterol formation, which is critical to the growth of tumor cells. Our results suggest that the red yeast rice matrix beyond monacolin alone may be bioactive in inhibiting androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancer growth. In vivo studies are needed to further establish the potential advantages of red yeast rice over lovastatin in prostate cancer chemoprevention and in the prevention of the emergence of androgen independence.

Monascus purpureus fermented rice and bone
Chinese red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus-fermented rice) promotes bone formation.
Chin Med. 2008 Mar 29; Biomedical and Tissue Engineering Research Group, University of Hong Kong, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Statin can induce the gene expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2. Red yeast rice (RYR, Hongqu), i.e. rice fermented with Monascus purpureus, contains a natural form of statin. This study demonstrates the effects of Red yeast rice extract on bone formation. Red yeast rice extract stimulated new bone formation in bone defects in vivo and increased bone cell formation in vitro.

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