Effect of dry coffee residues fermented with Monascus ruber on the metabolism of Apo E mice.
BACKGROUND
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of multifactorial origin, which occurs in response to endothelial injury. The fungus Monascus ruber has hypocholesterolemic activity, and the polyphenols present in coffee residue have an antioxidant activity and can help prevent cardiovascular diseases. Coffee residue has a significant amount of fermentable sugars, being an adequate substrate for growing fungi.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess the effect of dry coffee residue fermented with Monascus ruber on the lipid metabolism of ApoE knockout mice.


METHODS
The biological assay was performed with 30 ApoE knockout mice, divided into five groups and undergoing different treatments. The phytochemical prospection and quantification of phenolic compounds of the fermented and non-fermented coffee residues were performed. The sera of the animals were analyzed by using enzyme kits, and the aortic tissue was embedded in paraffin and stained with hematoxylin and eosin to undergo histopathological analysis.


RESULTS
Comparing with the control group, the group receiving 2% non-fermented coffee residue showed a reduction of 42% in the serum levels of triacylglycerols and of approximately 41% in VLDL-c. The groups receiving 10% non-fermented coffee residue and 2% fermented coffee residue showed reductions in the lesion areas of 10.5% and 15.4%, respectively, as compared with the control group. The fermented coffee residue showed a higher content of phenolic compounds as compared with the non-fermented coffee residue.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study showed that coffee residue fermentation has a potentially beneficial effect on cardiovascular diseases, especially atherosclerosis.
Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brasil. larissafroede@yahoo.com.br
Larissa Froede
LF
Brito
Lívia Dias de
LD
Queirós
Maria do Carmo Gouveia
Mdo C
Peluzio
Sônia Machado Rocha
SM
Ribeiro
Sérgio Luis Pinto da
SL
Matta
José Humberto da
JH
Queiroz
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000378:metabolism*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002845:Chromatography; D003069:Coffee / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D032741:Monascus / Q000378:metabolism*; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D003069:Coffee; D010636:Phenols; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol