紅麴粉末對囓齒類動物降血之功能及安全性之研究

紅麴粉末對囓齒類動物降血之功能及安全性之研究

 許多前瞻性的研究結果證實，攝取某些特定的食品能預防心臟血管疾病，特別是在降低病患血液膽 固醇及三醯甘油。因此，一些傳統食品中含有降低血膽固醇因子，遂成為現代科學研究的重點，如 中國釀造紅露酒所利用之紅麴菌屬 (Monascus anka) ，其代謝產物 monacolins ，可有效抑制血膽固醇 之生合成。

本論文主要是研究紅麴粉末 (red yeast rice; Monascus rice powder) 對囓齒類動物降血脂功能之影響及 安全性評估。首先探討紅麴粉末在高膽固醇飲食形態下，預防高膽固醇血症的保健效果，及紅麴粉 末對改善高血脂症的作用及總抗氧化狀態影響。結果顯示：紅麴粉末能有效預防倉鼠因高油脂飲食 所引起的高脂血症及使患高脂血症倉鼠血脂肪下降，並能有效預防倉鼠肝臟中因高油脂飲食所引起 的三醯甘油堆積。紅麴粉末從飲食中移去，倉鼠血漿或肝臟脂質都明顯上升。另外，紅麴粉末可略 為提升膽固醇病鼠之血漿總抗氧化力。

其次，以紅麴粉末強制灌食 ICR 小白鼠，評估紅麴對 CoQ 所產生之急性影響及安全性評估。結果發 現投予紅麴粉末之小鼠於 30 分鐘後，其心臟及肝臟中的濃 CoQ10 度皆明顯下降，肝臟在 60 分鐘後 濃度降至最低，而心臟中則需 90 分鐘。兩週後，小鼠體重、外觀無任何異狀。而長期攝取紅麴粉末 及添加維生素 E ，對倉鼠所造成的影響之實驗顯示，紅麴粉末能有效降低倉鼠血漿膽固醇、低 / 高 密度脂蛋白膽固醇比值、血漿三醯甘油、肝臟總膽固醇及三醯甘油濃度。紅麴粉末也明顯降低，低 密度脂蛋白中，亞麻油酸 / 花生四烯酸及 PUFA/MUFA 之比值。紅麴粉末雖然明顯降低血中維生素 E 的含量，但維生素 E/LDL- 膽固醇比值及肝臟中維生素 E 濃度卻增加。紅麴粉末雖然減少體內 Co Q10 、維生素 E 含量，但由於同時降低體內膽固醇含量，所以對抗氧化能力不致於造成不利影響。

最後探討同時給予黃豆固醇及紅麴粉末對倉鼠體內脂質代謝及抗氧化酵素活性之影響。結果顯示，

合併使用效果大於各自單獨使用。紅麴粉末減少糞便膽固醇及膽酸排出量，增加超氧化物歧化酉每 (SOD) 活性，但不影響麩胱甘月太過氧化酉每 (GSH-Px) 活性。

總結紅麴粉末具有以下功能： (1) 添加於高膽固醇飼料中，可預防倉鼠血脂上升，並改善罹患高血 脂症倉鼠之血脂質狀態； (2) 降低亞麻油酸 / 花生四烯酸及 PUFA/MUFA 之比值； (3) 併用黃豆固醇 能更有效降低倉鼠血清、肝臟膽固醇及三醯甘油之濃度。

Lipid-lowering effect and safety of Monascus rice powder o n rodents

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Many large prospective studies have shown that comsuming certain foods present medical potentials on the prevention of card iovascular heart disease (CVD) patients, especially in lowering plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. Thus, the traditional food such as cholesterol lowering food -- Monascus anka in China, that produced the metabolites e.g. monacolins, which represent the inhibitory effect on cholesterol biosynthesis.

The proposed study was to investigate lipid lowering effects and safety of Monascus rice powder on rodents. First, the lipid m etabolic improvement effect and the antioxidant status of Monascus rice powder were observed on rodents with high cholester ol diet. Results showed that Monascus rice powder could significantly prevent hyperlipidemia of rodents and lower serum lipi d in rodents who already got hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, it can also decrease triglyceride to heap in liver. In other hands, M onascus rice powder could elevate serum total antioxidant status of hyperlipidemia rodents.

Moreover, the ICR mice were gavaged with Monascus rice powder, studied the effect of inner CoQ, and did acute toxicity eva luation. It is believed that after 30 minutes, mice gavaged Monascus rice powder had obviously lower heart and liver CoQ con centration. After 60 minutes, the liver CoQ concentration lowered to the limit and heart had the same effect after 90 minutes.

The body weight and appearance were no significant differences after 2 weeks.

Thus, long term intake of Monascus rice powder and vitamin E can effectively lower serum cholesterol ratio, serum triglyceri de, liver cholesterol and liver triglyceride of hamsters. Besides, the LA/AA ratio in LDL was also decreased. Monascus rice p owder obviously decreased serum vitamin E, but vitamin E/LDL-cholesterol ratio and liver vitamin E increased. Monascus ric e powder would decline internal CoQ concentration and vitamin E amount, but the antioxidant ability of body wouldn’t be da maged as a result of decreased cholesterol.

The final study was to evaluate the effect of internal lipid metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activity with combined intake o f Monascus rice powder and soysterol. It showed that the cholesterol lowering effect became more efficient after combined int ake of Monascus rice powder and soysterol. Monascus could also decrease fecal sterol and bile acid excretion, increase supero xide dismutase activity and no change on glutathione peroxidase.

In conclusion, Monascus rice powder has such functions as follows, (1) improve hyperlipidemia of rodents; (2) lower LDL L

A/AA ratio and PUFA/MUFA ratio; (3) combined with soysterol can have much more efficient effect on decreasing serum ch

olesterol, triglycerides, and also liver cholesterol, triglycerides.