title: Effects of Monascus-fermented grain extracts on plasma antioxidant status and tissue levels of ubiquinones and α-tocopherol in hyperlipidemic rats.
abstract: We investigated the effects of Monascus-fermented mixed grain extracts (MFGEs) enriched with bioactive mevinolins (natural statins) and coenzyme Qs (CoQ9+CoQ10) on the blood lipids, antioxidant status, and tissue levels of CoQs and α-tocopherol (α-Toc) in hyperlipidemic rats. The oral administration of MFGEs (300 mg/kg body weight per day) for 8 weeks resulted in a significant decrease in blood levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and LDL-C/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio compared to the control and lovastatin supplement group of a dosage of 20mg/kg per day (p<0.05). Furthermore, a significant increase in the ratios of α-Toc/LDL-C and CoQs/LDL-C in plasma and tissues and improvement in plasma antioxidant status as measured by TBARS and TRAP were observed in hypercholesterolemic rats (p<0.05). Regarding the effects of MFGEs on antioxidant levels of plasma and tissues, there were significant increases in the levels of α-Toc (p<0.05) and CoQs (p<0.01) after the 8-week MFGEs treatment. These data indicate that MFGEs supplementation not only decreases blood lipids and lipid peroxidation but also increases levels of antioxidants such as α-Toc and CoQs and may improve plasma antioxidant status as well as a hypolipidemic effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Sungshin Women's University, 76-Gagil Dobong-ro Kangbuk-Gu, Seoul 142-732, Republic of Korea. rosapyo@sungshin.ac.kr
authors.forename: Young-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Pyo
authors.forename: Ki-Seung
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Seong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D032741:Monascus / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000378:metabolism*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D014280:Triglycerides; D014451:Ubiquinone; D002784:Cholesterol; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol