title: Monascin and ankaflavin have more anti-atherosclerosis effect and less side effect involving increasing creatinine phosphokinase activity than monacolin K under the same dosages.
abstract: Monacolin K has long been considered a major effective component in the hypolipidemic functions of  Monascus . Monacolin K also serves as a well-known hypolipidemic medication, but its side effect myopathy is a concern. Monascin and ankaflavin, the yellow pigments produced by  Monascus  species, have been proven to possess hypolipidemic functions; however, no studies have compared the hypolipidemic effects of monascin, ankaflavin, and monacolin K under the same dosages. In this study, the equal dosages of monascin, ankaflavin, and monacolin K were oral administrated to hamsters fed a high cholesterol diet for 6 weeks. Comparison of the displayed hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerosis effects was performed, in addition to an investigation into the inducement of side effect. The results indicated that monascin and ankaflavin were similar to monacolin K in significantly reducing total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in serum and lipid plaque (p < 0.05) in the heart aorta. In addition, ankaflavin achieved the effects of serum TC and TG reduction, with no significant difference as compared to those effects of monacolin K (p > 0.05). However, as compared to monacolin K, ankaflavin possessed more significant effects on the prevention of fatty liver and lipid plaque accumulation in heart aorta. More importantly, monascin significantly enhanced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations, while monacolin K displayed the opposite effect. Regarding the side effect, monacolin K also raised elevated creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) activity, which was highly correlated with rhabdomyolysis development, while monascin and ankaflavin did not induce such a side effect. In conclusion, MS and AK had the potential to be developed as hypolipidemic agents without rhabdomyolysis development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, National Taitung University, Taitung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chun-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yu-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Ya-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Tzu-Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006224:Cricetinae; D005415:Flavins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus
chemical_list: D005415:Flavins; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; D008055:Lipids; C499916:ankaflavin; D008148:Lovastatin; D003402:Creatine Kinase; C517880:monascin