Monascus purpureus-fermented Thai glutinous rice reduces blood and hepatic cholesterol and hepatic steatosis concentrations in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rats.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Red yeast rice (RYR) is a fermented product used as a food supplement to promote blood circulation and lower blood cholesterol levels in eastern Asia. Interestingly, monacolin K is the most active compound in RYR that proved to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. METHODS:The hypocholesterolemic effects of oral administration of Thai RYR, produced by fermentation of Thai glutinous rice (Oryza sativa L. var. Niaw San-pah-tawng) with Monascus purpureus CMU 002U, were determined in normal and hypercholesterolemic rats. The rats were divided into six groups, and fed two different kinds of diet. Groups I-II, normal rats fed with a normal diet (SP-diet), were treated with distilled water (SP-control) and 2.0 g/kg/day of RYR extract (SP-2 g). In Groups III-VI, the rats were rendered hypercholesterolemic by feeding them a high fat and cholesterol diet (HFC-diet), and were treated with distilled water (HFC-control), 1.0 g/kg/day (HFC-1 g), 2.0 g/kg/day (HFC-2 g) of RYR extract, and 5.0 mg/kg/day of rosuvastatin (HFC-rosuvastatin) for 30 days, respectively. RESULTS:The RYR extract significantly decreased the concentrations of serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), atherosclerotic index, LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and hepatic cholesterol levels in both HFC-1 g and HFC-2 g groups (p?

SUBMITTER: Bunnoy A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4381394 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature