title: Antihypertriglyceridemia and anti-inflammatory activities of monascus-fermented dioscorea in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The rice fermented by Monascus, called red mold rice (RMR), and has a long tradition in East Asia as a dietary staple. Monascus-fermented dioscorea called red mold dioscorea (RMD) contains various metabolites to perform the ability of reducing oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory response. We used Wistar rats and induced diabetes by injecting streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/kg i.p.). RMD was administered daily starting six weeks after disease onset. Throughout the experimental period, significantly (P < .05) lowered plasma glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, free fatty acid and low density lipoprotein levels were observed in the RMD-treated groups. The RMD-treated diabetic rats showed higher activities of glutathione disulfide reductase, glutathione reductase, catalase and superoxide dismutase (P < .05) in the pancreas compared with the diabetic control rats. RMD also inhibited diabetes-induced elevation in the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α. Pancreatic β-cells damaged by STZ in the RMD supplemented groups were ameliorated. The results of this study clearly demonstrated that RMD possesses several treatment-oriented properties, including the control of hyperglycemia, antioxidant effects, pancreatic β-cell protection and anti-inflammatory effects. Considering these observations, it appears that RMD may be a useful supplement to delay the development of diabetes and its complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, College of Life Science, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yeu-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Jiunn-Wang
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Tzu-Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D027742:Dioscorea / Q000378:metabolism*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005285:Fermentation; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D032741:Monascus / Q000378:metabolism*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D051381:Rats; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D002784:Cholesterol; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase