The inflammation and oxidative stress of bone marrow-derived proangiogenic cells (PACs), also named endothelial progenitor cells, triggered by hyperglycemia contributes significantly to vascular dysfunction. There is supporting evidence that the consumption of red yeast rice (RYR; Monascus purpureus-fermented rice) reduces the vascular complications of diabetes; however, the underlying mechanis...

Red yeast rice (RYR), produced by the fermentation of the Monascus purpureus mold, has been used for a long time in Asian cuisine and traditional medicine. It consists of multiple bioactive substances, including monacolins, which potentially can be used as a nutraceutical. Monacolin K, which is chemically identical to lovastatin, has been recognized as responsible for the cholesterolreducing ef...

In this study, we designed a method to manufacture elevated fermented green tea by using Monascus pilosus, which is known as a functional microbe, and observe its antioxidant abilities and quality characteristics. The water-soluble substance (WSS) content of the fermented tea by M. pilosus (FTM) was lower than that of the non-fermented tea (NFT), although the alcohol-insoluble substance (AIS) c...

BACKGROUND Monascus mycelia and pigments are promising sources of food and medicine with their potential pharmaceutical values and health-improving functions. Using high cell density fermentation of Monascus spp. to achieve higher mycelium and yellow pigment production is worthy to be researched. In this study, the characteristics and productivity shifting of pigments in high cell density cultu...

The effect of light on Monascus and the underlying mechanism have received a great deal of interest for the industrial application of Monascus pigments. In this study, we have examined the effects of blue light on the culture morphology, mycelium growth, pigments, and citrinin yield of Monascus in liquid-state and oscillation fermentation, and explored the mechanism at a physiological level. It...

Citrinin is a kind of mycotoxin, which is produced during Monascus fermentation to produce Monascus Pigments. Studies have shown that citrinin has certain nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity, which can cause tumor, induce mutation and so on. The pretreatment of samples was carried out by ultrasonic assisted extraction centrifugal separation and nitrogen blowing concentration, and HPLC with fluore...