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 pink-red color of traditional sausages (cured meat) is the result of nitrite addition and the formation of nitrosomyoglobin. However, the pleasant color of processed meat products is a side effect of nitrite addition while the main anticipated goal is to suppress the germination of clostridial spores. The fungus Monascus is known as a producer of oligoketide pigments, which are used in Asian countries, especially in China, for coloring foods, including meat products. Although, different biological activities of Monascus pigments have been tested and confirmed in many studies, their effect on germination of bacterial spores has never been investigated. This study is focused on testing the activity of red yeast rice (RYR) extract, containing monascin, rubropunctatin, rubropunctamine complexes and monascuspiloin as the main pigments, on germination of Clostridium and Bacillus spores. It was found that addition of nitrite alone, at the permitted concentration, had no effect on spore germination. However, the combined effects of nitrite with NaCl, tested after addition of pickling salt, was efficient in inhibiting the germination of C. beijerinckii spores but had no effect on B. subtilis spores. In contrast, total suppression of C. beijerinckii spore germination was reached after addition of RYR extract to the medium at a concentration of 2% v/v. For B. subtilis, total inhibition of spore germination was observed only after addition of 4% v/v RYR extract to the medium containing 1.3% w/w NaCl.

• Klíčová slova
• Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium beijerinckii, Monascus, bacterial spores germination, nitrite, red yeast rice,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH