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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