• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.1 s.81
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• pp.137-142
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• 2007

For the production of natural pigments with microbe, the strains which produced monascus pigment were isolated, and then culture condition and extraction condition were investigated. These results are summarized as follows; The strain which ran produce monascus natural pigment was isolated from natural microbial sources and we made mutant of this strain with UV($235_{nm}$, 30 second) irradiation. The mutant was identified as Monascus sp. MK2-2. The optimal culture conditions were investigated optimal medium containing 0.3% rice powder, 0.2% yeast extract, 0.3% $NH_4H_2PO_4$ and $30^{\circ}C$ in a rotary shaker (120 rpm) for 5 days (initial pH 5.0), while the pigment production was determined at 24 hr intervals. The effective carbon sources were wheat flour > rice powder > fructose, and effective nitrogen sources were sodium nitrate > $KNO_3$ for production of the monascus natural pigment. The pigment capacity is good from 17 to 22 in C/N ratio. The production amount of monascus natural pigment was 0.38 g per 1 kg of rice. Also, extract of red yeast rice had anti-thrombosis activity like a degree of aspirin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1358-1365
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• 2017

This study evaluated the quality characteristics of muffins prepared with different amounts (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%) of fucoidan red yeast (Monascus purpureus) rice powder (FRYR). The weight and pH of muffins increased as the amount of FRYR increased. The height and baking loss rate of muffins significantly decreased when amounts of FRYR increased (P<0.05), whereas moisture content was not significantly different between all samples. L value and b value of muffins significantly decreased when amounts of FRYR increased (P<0.05). However, a value of muffins significantly increased when amounts of FRYR increased (P<0.05). Hardness, chewiness, and brittleness increased with increasing FRYR concentration. Cohesiveness was higher with 30% FRYR, whereas springiness was not significantly different between the samples. In the sensory evaluation, the appearance and crumb color of muffins was higher in groups containing 0% FRYR, whereas flavor, taste, texture, and overall acceptability scores were highest for muffins with 50% FRYR added. The total polyphenol content and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity of muffins significantly increased with increasing addition of FRYR (P<0.05). Therefore, addition of FRYR could satisfy the sensory function and functional requirements of muffins. Furthermore, this study proposes the development of various products using fucoidan red yeast rice.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.487-496
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• 2013

Green coffee beans (CB, Indonesian Mandheling) were fermented with three kinds of mushrooms (Phellinus linteus, PL; Hericium erinaceum, HE; Ganoderma lucidum, GL) or two kinds of mycelia from molds (Monascus purpureus, MP; Monascus ruber, MR) using solid-state culture to enhance physiological activity. After the roasting of fermented green coffee beans, roasted coffees were extracted with a hot-water decoction or 95% ethanol reflux. Yields from hot water extracts (HW, 17.7~25.3%) were higher than those from ethanolic extracts (EE, 9.5~12.2%). Hot-water extracts of roasted coffees from green coffee beans fermented with two molds (MP-CB-HW and MR-CB-HW) showed higher total polyphenols, flavonoids, and DPPH free radical scavenging activity than roasted coffees from non-fermented (CB-HW) or fermented green coffee beans with the three mycelia from mushrooms. MR-CB-HW also had the most potent macrophage stimulating and mitogenic activity (1.32 and 1.40-fold of CB-HW, respectively). In addition, MP-CB-EE and MR-CB-EE did not show any cytotoxicity to the RAW 264.7 cell at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/mL$, and these extracts significantly inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production from the LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell line (38.6 and 37.0% of the LPS-treated group). Meanwhile, the chlorogenic acid concentrations of MP-CB-HW or MR-CB-HW highly increased (to 76.21 or $76.73{\mu}g/mL$, respectively), but caffeine concentrations were not affected by solid-state fermentation. In conclusion, the physiological activities of roasted coffees were enhanced by the solid-state culture of green coffee beans with M. purpureus or M. ruber, suggesting that these roasted coffees could possibly serve industrial applications as functional coffee beverages.

• 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.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.701-707
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• 2003

Kimchi was prepared with the addition of 2.5％ and 5.0％ Monascu purpureu koji(MPK) paste (20％) and were fermented at 20$^{\circ}C$ for 18 days. The quality and sensory characteristics of the kimchi were evaluated by analyzing the pH, acidity, number of viable cells, the concentration of reducing sugar, and sensory properties during fermentation. The pH and titratable acidity of the kimchiprepared with MPK(MPK kimchi) were higher and lower, respectively, than those of the control kimchi. The MPK kimchi showed high 'L' and 'b' values during storage, but the 'a' values were low. The contents of the reducing sugar of the MPK kimchi tended to increase during fermentation, particularly after six days. The number of total microbial cells, lactic acid bacteria and yeast in the MPK kimchi were lower than those of the control kimchi until 3 days of fermentation. However, the number of these bacteria in the MPK kimchi and the control kimchi after six days of fermentation was similar. The sensory score of the kimchi with 2.5％ and 5.0％ added MPK paste were significantly higher than the control groups in terms of the sweetness and overall acceptability.

• 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.49 no.5
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• pp.550-558
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• 2017

The effect of Artemisia argyi H. under liquid-state fermentation by Monascus purpureus (AAFM) on cognitive impairments has been studied in a mice model of diabetes-associated cognitive decline induced by streptozotocin (STZ). C57BL/6 mice (9 weeks of age, male) were separated into four groups: a normal control, STZ-induced diabetic mouse group (STZ group), Artemisia argyi H. (AA) 10 group (diabetic mouse+AA 10 mg/kg/day), AAFM 10 group (diabetic mouse+AAFM 10 mg/kg/day). Administration of AA and AAFM significantly improved glucose tolerance, as shown by the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), and ameliorated cognitive deficit, as shown by the behavioral tests including passive avoidance, Morris water maze, and Y-maze tests. After behavioral tests, the cholinergic system was examined by assessment of the acetylcholine (ACh) level and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity, and the antioxidant system was also assessed by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in the brain and liver.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.437-442
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• 2012

Red yeast rice (RER) has been used in China for centuries for its medicinal properties and is an increasingly popular alternative lipid-lowering treatment. This study was carried out to estimate the antioxidant properties of RER extracts. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited the DPPH radical scavenging activity of 85% at 0.2 mg/mL and $IC_{50}$ 0.13 mg/mL. A significant proportion of hydroxyl radicals in a cuvette were scavenged: 44.2% at 2.5 ${\mu}g$/mL, 74.1% at 5.0 ${\mu}g$/mL, and >100% at 10 ${\mu}g$/mL. The $HepG_2$ cells pre-treated with RER ethyl acetate extract reduced the hydroxyl radicals significantly compared to the control cells. Oxidative DNA damage was measured using a Comet assay. The RER ethyl acetate extract did not induce any DNA damage per se, and appeared to enhance the resistance to DNA damage caused by an oxidant challenge with $H_2O_2$, whereas lovastatin increased the level of DNA damage in the cells in both the unstressed (no oxidant) and those stressed with $H_2O_2$. The relative gene expression of the antioxidant enzymes in $HepG_2$ cells were also affected by the RER ethyl acetate extract. The $HepG_2$ cells were pre-incubated with the RER ethyl acetate extract, and then stressed with $H_2O_2$ or left unstressed (no oxidant). In the unstressed cells, superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were increased significantly 3.25-fold and 2.67-fold, respectively, whereas in the stressed cells, the catalase (CAT) level was increased by 4.64-fold and 7.0-fold at 5 ${\mu}g$/mL and 10 ${\mu}g$/mL, respectively, compared to those of the control. From these results, RER appears to be effective in suppressing oxidative stress.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1022-1027
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• 2004

The monacolin K content was determined to investigate the stability of monacolin K from red yeast rice after heating (20∼8$0^{\circ}C$), adjusting the pH (2∼8) by adding 3 N HCl or 3 N NaOH, adding the organic acid (6.0% acetic acid, 0.6% citric acid, 1.5% lactic acid) to pH 4.0 and adding the water (0∼80%). And the monacolin K was isolated from red yeast rice by conducting open column chromatography using neutral aluminum oxide. As a result, the stability of monacolin K decreased with increasing the temperature. The stability for pH was in the order of the unadjusted pH (pH 5.9)>8>4 and pH 2>10. The stability for organic acid was high in the order of lactic acid>citric acid>acetic acid, and the stability of monacolin K under acid was different according to the acid type. The degradation rate of monacolin K increased with increasing the water content. Moreover monacolin K was able to isolate from red and pink pigments as well as the other noncoloric compounds in red yeast rice. The yield of monacolin K was found to be 70%.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.186-199
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• 2013

Objectives : The objectives of this study was to obtain acute information (single oral dose toxicity) of Red-Koji (Monascus purpureus 12002) Fermented Scutellariae Radix Aqueous Extracts (fSR), has been traditionally used in Korean medicine for treating various diseases including inflammatory diseases. Methods : In order to observe the 50% lethal dose (LD50), approximate lethal dosage (ALD) and target organs, fSR powders were once orally administered to female and male ICR mice at dose levels of 2,000, 1,000, 500 and 0 (control) mg/kg (body weight.). The mortality and changes on body weight, clinical signs and gross observation were monitored during 14days after single oral treatment of fSR with organ weights and histopathological observations of 12 types of principle organs. Results : After single oral treatment of fSR, we could not find any mortality and toxicological evidences up to 2,000 mg/kg treated group, the limited dosages in rodents, on the body and organ weights, clinical signs, gross and histopathological observations, except for some accidental findings. Conclusions : The results obtained in this study suggest that the LD50 and ALD of fSR in both female and male mice after single oral treatment were considered as over 2,000 mg/kg because no mortalities were detected up to 2,000 mg/kg and can be safety used in clinics.