Monascus pigments having yellow, orange, and red colors are widely studied for their potential beneficial properties. Many different biological activities have been reported regarding Monascus pigments and their derivatives, but the usual method is to test complex extracts from the mycelium of the fungus or from a fungus-fermented substrate. However, this review is mainly concerned with the biological activities of purified Monascus pigments. Both yellow (ankaflavin, monascin) and red (rubropunctamine, monascorubramine) Monascus pigments are proven antioxidants if used in concentrations of 10 μg/mL or higher. Antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi has been observed with all Monascus pigments. However, the best antimicrobials are red Monascus pigments, and their amino acid derivatives (l-cysteine derivatives have MIC 4 μg/mL against Enterococcus faecalis). Yellow monaphilones and orange monaphilols seem to have the highest anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 1.7 μM of monaphilol D) and, together with red Monascus pigment derivatives, have mild antiobesity and antidiabetic activities. Further, monascin and ankaflavin in daily doses of 0.5 and 0.08 mg, respectively, lowered serum blood levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol complexes in rats on a high-fat diet. Orange Monascus pigments, rubropunctatin and monaphilols A and C, exhibit cytotoxic and antitumor activities (IC50 8-10 μM).

• MeSH
• antibakteriální látky farmakologie   chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• antiflogistika farmakologie   chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• antiinfekční látky farmakologie   chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• antioxidancia farmakologie   chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• biologické pigmenty * farmakologie   chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• flaviny farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• grampozitivní bakterie účinky léků   MeSH
• heterocyklické sloučeniny tricyklické MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti MeSH
• molekulární struktura MeSH
• Monascus * chemie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• ankaflavin MeSH Prohlížeč
• antibakteriální látky MeSH
• antiflogistika MeSH
• antiinfekční látky MeSH
• antioxidancia MeSH
• biologické pigmenty * MeSH
• flaviny MeSH
• heterocyklické sloučeniny tricyklické MeSH
• monascin MeSH Prohlížeč

The fungus Monascus is a well-known source of secondary metabolites with interesting pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. In particular, Monascus pigments possess a wide range of biological activities (e.g. antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or antitumoral). To broaden the scope of their possible application, this study focused on testing Monascus pigment extracts as potential photosensitizing agents efficient in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) against bacteria. For this purpose, eight different extracts of secondary metabolites from the liquid- and solid-state fermentation of Monascus purpureus DBM 4360 and Monascus sp. DBM 4361 were tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative model bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli and further screened for ESKAPE pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To the bacterial culture, increasing concentration of extracts was added and it was found that all extracts showed varying antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria in dark, which was further increased after irradiation. Gram-negative bacteria were tolerant to the extracts' exposure in the dark but sensitivity to almost all extracts that occurred after irradiation. The Monascus sp. DBM 4361 extracts seemed to be the best potential candidate for aPDT against Gram-positive bacteria, being efficient at low doses, i.e. the lowest total concentration of Monascus pigments exhibiting aPDT effect was 3.92 ± 1.36 mg/L for E. coli. Our results indicate that Monascus spp., forming monascuspiloin as the major yellow pigment and not-forming mycotoxin citrinin, is a promising source of antimicrobials and photoantimicrobials.

• MeSH
• antibakteriální látky * farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• biologické pigmenty farmakologie   MeSH
• biologické přípravky farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• fotochemoterapie MeSH
• fotosenzibilizující látky farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• grampozitivní bakterie účinky léků   účinky záření   MeSH
• komplexní směsi farmakologie   chemie   MeSH
• mikrobiální testy citlivosti * MeSH
• Monascus * chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• mycelium * chemie   účinky záření   účinky léků   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• red yeast rice MeSH Prohlížeč

The genus Monascus, comprising nine species, can reproduce either vegetatively with filaments and conidia or sexually by the formation of ascospores. The most well-known species of genus Monascus, namely, M. purpureus, M. ruber and M. pilosus, are often used for rice fermentation to produce red yeast rice, a special product used either for food coloring or as a food supplement with positive effects on human health. The colored appearance (red, orange or yellow) of Monascus-fermented substrates is produced by a mixture of oligoketide pigments that are synthesized by a combination of polyketide and fatty acid synthases. The major pigments consist of pairs of yellow (ankaflavin and monascin), orange (rubropunctatin and monascorubrin) and red (rubropunctamine and monascorubramine) compounds; however, more than 20 other colored products have recently been isolated from fermented rice or culture media. In addition to pigments, a group of monacolin substances and the mycotoxin citrinin can be produced by Monascus. Various non-specific biological activities (antimicrobial, antitumor, immunomodulative and others) of these pigmented compounds are, at least partly, ascribed to their reaction with amino group-containing compounds, i.e. amino acids, proteins or nucleic acids. Monacolins, in the form of β-hydroxy acids, inhibit hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, a key enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis in animals and humans.

• MeSH
• barva MeSH
• biologické pigmenty biosyntéza   chemie   metabolismus   farmakologie   MeSH
• citrinin biosyntéza   chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• fermentace MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Monascus metabolismus   MeSH
• potravinářská barviva chemie   metabolismus   farmakologie   MeSH
• rýže (rod) metabolismus   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biologické pigmenty MeSH
• citrinin MeSH
• potravinářská barviva MeSH