• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.919-929
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• 2017

This study investigated the biological activities and chemical characteristics of Monascus-fermented Angelica gigas Nakai (A. gigas) with a view to the development of health foods. We also investigated the effect of the cultivation region of three A. gigas cultivars, namely Sancheong, Pyeongchang, and Jecheon. After fermentation, the content of decursin and decursinol angelate was increased compared to non-fermentation; the highest content of decursin and decursinol angelate was found in non-fermentation Pyeongchang A. gigas (PA) at 615.504, 326.742 ppm and fermented Pyeongchang A. gigas (FPA) at 792.610, 429.500 ppm, respectively. The highest content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and minerals was found in the FPA group, in which DPPH (${\alpha},{\alpha}^{\prime}-diphenyl-{\beta}-picrylhydrazyl$) radical scavenging activity and Fe/Cu reducing power were stronger in fermented than in non-fermented A. gigas. The FPA group in particular showed the highest activity. We measured nitric oxide (NO) production from lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells and the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. The inhibition of activity of NO production and cancer cell (MCF-7 and Hep3B) viability was significantly decreased in the FPA group. The results suggest that FPA may be highly useful as a health food. Overall, the study provides basic data for understanding the biological activities and chemical characteristics of A. gigas fermented by Monascus purpureus for the development of health foods.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.942-948
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• 2017

To establish manufacturing technology of tofu shake added with red rice prepared with Monascus purpureus KCCM 60570, the quality characteristics of tofu shake added with M. purpureus KCCM 60570 were investigated. Also, we determined the optimal mixing ratios of raw materials including red rice for manufacturing tofu shake. Monacolin K and mold number of red rice were increased rapidly until $8^{th}$ day of incubation and then gradually increased during the 12 day manufacturing period. As the results, it was considered to be most suitable to prepare red rice for 8 days at $25^{\circ}C$, and inoculate 1% (w/w) M. purpureus KCCM 60570. Sensory evaluation of tofu shake added with red rice and tofu shake without red rice was not significantly different at p<0.05. In sensory evaluation, tofu shake added with 0.5% (w/w) red rice was higher in taste, texture, and overall acceptability than the other. Therefore, the optimal mixing ratio of red rice and tofu shake is 0.5% (w/w). These results suggest that the addition of red rice could improve the quality of tofu shake.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.618-623
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• 2005

Kimchi was prepared with 2.5% and 5% Monascus purpureus Koji(MPK) paste(20%), fermented at $10^{\circ}C$ for 15 days, and sampled at 3-day intervals during storage. Samples were extracted using 80% ethanol. Ethanol extracts of kimchi prepared with MPK paste (MPK kimchi extracts) and control kimchi extracts at 1mg/mL showed 40% decrease in proliferation of cancer cells, such as AGS, KATOIII, HepG2, and Hela. MPK kimchi extracts showed highest cytotoxic effect against cancer cells compared with control at 2mg/mL. Antibacterial effect of MPK kimchi extracts decreased during fermentation, and was higher than that of control kimchi extracts during fermentation, particularly after six days. The 5% MPK kimchi extracts showed higher antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus than other groups. Results indicate kimchi added with M. purpureus Koji paste has stronger antibacterial and anticancer effects in vitro than control kimchi.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.267-270
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• 2000

In general, pigment production can be influenced by the medium composition, pH and physical factors such as aeration, agitation, and visible light. The influence of gaseous environments on the pigment production by Monascus purpureus ATCC 16365 was investigated by controlling the DO (dissolved oxygen) concentration through aeration and agitation. When the DO concentration was controlled below 20%, the production of red pigment significantly increased whereas the biomass production decreased. Therefore, the dissolved oxygen concentration could significantly affect the biosynthesis of red pigment as a secondary metabolite by a wild-type filamentous fungus under the anaerobic condition. The results indicate a high potential of enhancing the productivity of the red pigment as a secondary metabolite through controlling the DO concentration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 2018

This study aimed to identify the effects of extracts of fermented Angelica gigas Nakai (A. gigas) with a Monascus purpureus strain on anti-obesity in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven dietary groups (n=8 per group), as follows: a normal diet group (N) and six HFD groups (C: control, HFD and no treatment; AG: HFD +10% A. gigas extracts; FAG2.5: HFD +2.5% fermented A. gigas extracts; FAG5: HFD +5% fermented A. gigas extracts; FAG10: HFD +10% fermented A. gigas extracts; GC: HFD + Garcinia cambogia extracts). FAG-fed rats exhibited effectively lowered rates of increasing body weight and visceral fat accumulation in the HFD-induced obesity model. The activities of several hepatic marker enzymes, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), were increased with HFD-induced obesity, but levels of these marker enzymes were significantly decreased in FAG-fed rats. The consumption of FAG reduced triglyceride concentrations in serum to normal levels. FAG-fed rats showed effectively increased leptin concentrations in the HFD-induced obesity model. HFD ingestion induced a significant increase in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, which was decreased in FAG-fed rats. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Oil Red O staining of the liver showed that the lipid deposits were decreased via FAG feeding. Moreover, hematoxylin and eosin staining of epididymal adipose adipose tissue showed that the adipocyte were decreased by feeding FAG.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2014

In previous work, we fermented coffee beans using solid-state culture with various fungal mycelia to enhance the physiological activity of the coffee. The coffee fermented with Monascus sp. showed a higher physiological activity than non-fermented coffee or other coffees fermented with mushroom mycelium. The aim of this study was to characterize the various fermented coffees with respect to their area of cultivation and their variety using Monascus purpureus (MP) mycelium solid-state culture. Thirty types of green coffee beans, which varied in terms of their cultivation area or variety, were purchased from different suppliers and fermented with MP under optimal conditions. Each MP-fermented coffee was medium roasted and extracted further using hot water (HW) under the same conditions. Of the HW extracts, those derived from MP-Mandheling coffees had the highest yield (13.6-15.5%), and MP-Robusta coffee showed a significantly higher polyphenolic content (3.03 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 mg) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) free radical scavenging activity (27.11 mg ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity/100 mg). Furthermore, in comparison to other MP-fermented coffees at $1,000{\mu}g/mL$, MP-Robusta coffee showed not only the most effective inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells (67.1% of that in LPS-stimulated control cells), but also an effective inhibition of lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipose cells (22.2% of that in differentiated control cells). In conclusion, these results suggest that Vietnam Robusta coffee beans solid-state fermented with MP mycelium are amenable to industrial applications as a functional coffee beverage or material.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.364-374
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• 2013

Monacolin K and yellow pigment, produced by Monascus sp., have each been proven to be beneficial compounds as antihypercholesterolemic and anti-inflammation agents, respectively. However, citrinin, a human toxic substance, was also synthesized in this fungus. In this research, solidstate fermentation of M. purpureus TISTR 3541 was optimized by statistical methodology to obtain a high production of monacolin K and yellow pigment along with a low level of citrinin. Fractional factorial design was applied in this study to identify the significant factors. Among the 13 variables, five parameters (i.e., glycerol, methionine, sodium nitrate, cultivation time, and temperature) influencing monacolin K, yellow pigment, and citrinin production were identified. A central composite design was further employed to investigate the optimum level of these five factors. The maximum production of monacolin K and yellow pigment of 5,900 mg/kg and 1,700 units/g, respectively, and the minimum citrinin concentration of 0.26 mg/kg were achieved in the medium containing 2% glycerol, 0.14% methionine, and 0.01% sodium nitrate at $25^{\circ}C$ for 16 days of cultivation. The yields of monacolin K and yellow pigment were about 3 and 1.5 times higher than the basal medium, respectively, whereas citrinin was dramatically reduced by 36 times.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2007

The optimal conditions for Monascus pigments production of Monascus sp. KM 1001, pigment overproducing mutant, in submerged culture was investigated. The optimal medium for the production of pigment from KM 1001 mutant is determined to be composed of 4% rice powder, 0.15% Bacto-peptone, 0.1% glycine, 0.01% $FeSO_{4}{\cdot}7H_{2}O,\;0.1%\;MgSO_{4}{\cdot}7H_{2}O,\;0.25%\;KH_{2}PO_{4},\;pH4.5$. On optimal conditions,10.0 g/L of the cell mass was obtained at $30^{\circ}C$ for 5 days. Yellow, orange and red pigment of Monascus sp. KM 1001 were produced 3.25 units, 1.59 units and 0.88 units in extracellular part, and 84.96 units, 78.84 units and 91.80 units in intracellular part, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.830-834
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• 2003

The optimal condition for the production and extraction of monacolin K was reported. HPLC was used to determine monacolin K a kind of metabolite of Monascus from red-koji made of Monascus purpureus CBS 281.34. After culturing Monascus in solid and liquid media at $30^{\circ}C$ for 10 days, each of these were inoculated with soybean, wheat, barley, waxy rice, and rice and cultivated at $30^{\circ}C$ for 11 days. The production of monacolin K was the highest(0.35g/100g) when cultured with rice. The yield of monacolin K in red-koji increased with drying temperature and time according to the removal of water. Considering monacolin K content and the degree of death of Monascus, red-koji was dried at $80^{\circ}C$ for 60 min. Although monacolin K in red-koji was mostly extracted by 80% ethanol, there was no difference in monacolin K between shaking for 1 min and extraction for $0{\sim}24$ hr after sonication for 7 min. The extracted yield of monacolin K was the highest when the ratio of red-koji and 80% ethanol was 1:9. Moreover, the production of monacolin K appeared to be parallel with that of the pigment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2014

Red yeast rice (RYR) has been known to exhibit various biological effects, including anti-hyperlipidemia, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammtory activities. Oxidative stress is a main risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease, such as atherosclerosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible hypolipidemic and antioxidant effect of RYR on rats fed a high-cholesterol diet supplemented with either 0.2%, 1%, or 5% RYR for 4 weeks. We measured lipid profiles in the plasma and liver, antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma and erythrocyte, gene expression of antioxidant enzymes in the liver, and oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes. The group supplemented with 0.2% RYR had total cholesterol level in plasma decreased by 24%, while the group supplemented with 5% RYR had high-density cholesterol increased by 20% compared to the control. The antioxidant enzyme activities were also affected by RYR supplementation. Total superoxide dismutase activities in plasma significantly decreased by 11% in the 1% RYR group, while these activities in the liver significantly decreased by 16% and 21% in the 1% and 5% supplemented group compared to the control, respectively. Glutathione peroxidase activities in plasma and erythrocytes increased 13% and 48% in the 1% RYR group, respectively. Catalase (CAT) activity in erythrocytes significantly increased by 49% and 68% in the 1% and 5% RYR group compared to the control, respectively. The gene expression of CAT was up-regulated 7.9 fold compared to the control in the 5% RYR supplemented group. These results suggest that RYR can control hyperlipidemia by improving the lipid profile and modulating oxidative stress.