Red Yeast Rice Increases Excretion of Bile Acids in Hamsters

Objective To investigate the hypocholesterolemic activity of red yeast rice （RYR） and its underlying mechanism. Methods Three groups of hamsters were fed either the control diet or one of the two experimental diets containing by weight 0.1% RYR （0.1RYR） or 0.3% RYR （0.3RYR）. Blood （0.5 mL） was collected from the retro-orbital sinus into a heparinized capillary tube at the end of week 0, 3, and 6. Plasma lipoproteins were measured using enzymatic kits, while fecal neutral and acidic sterols were quantified using a gas-liquid chromatography. Results Plasma total cholesterol was reduced by 12% in 0.1RYR group and by 18% in 0.3RYR group compared with the control value. Similarly, plasma triacylglycerol was decreased by 11% in 0.1RYR group and by 24% in 0.3RYR group. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that RYR had no effect on sterol regulatory element binding protein 2, fiver X receptor, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary-CoA reductase, LDL receptor, and cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase. HPLC analysis confirmed that RYR contained 0.88% monacolin K. It was recently found that RYR supplementation increased excretion of fecal acidic sterols by 34 folds compared with the conlrol value. Conclusion Hypocholesterolemic activity of RYR is mediated at least partially by enhancement of acidic sterol excretion.

Different Solid-state Fermentation technology of Functional Red yeast rice has an effect on the morphological change of MonacolinK

Different technical conditions in the process of solid-state fermentation of red yeast rice has a certain impact on the production of acid-form and lactone form Monacolin K.When cultured in the loose rice medium,the acid form Monacolin K accounts for 50%-60%;while the acid form Monacolin K accounts for 80%-90%cultured in the consolidated rice medium.And we also found that the proportion of the acid form and lactone form Monacolin K will decrease with the increase of fermentation time.

Associations between the use of red yeast rice preparations and adverse health outcomes:An umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials

Background:Red yeast rice(RYR),a natural lipid-lowering agent,is widely used in clinical practice.However,the existing meta-analyses concerning the safety of RYR preparations have yielded inconsistent results,and the credibility of the evidence has not been quantified.Objective:This study was designed to evaluate the existing evidence and offer a comprehensive understanding of the associations between the use of RYR preparations and various adverse health outcomes.Search strategy:Seven literature databases were searched from inception to May 5,2023,using medical subject headings and free-text terms(e.g.,“red yeast rice,”“Xuezhikang,”and“Zhibitai”).Inclusion criteria:Meta-analyses that investigated and quantitatively estimated associations between the use of RYR preparations and adverse health outcomes were included in this study.Data extraction and analysis:Two researchers independently extracted data using a standardized data collection table;any disagreements were resolved by consulting a third researcher.Based on the participant,intervention,comparator and outcome(PICO)framework in each eligible meta-analysis,a series of unique associations between the use of RYR preparations and adverse health outcomes were determined.The associations’effect estimates were re-evaluated using random-effect models.Results:Fifteen meta-analyses,comprising 186(164 unique)randomized controlled trials,were identified.Based on A Mea Surement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews version 2,3(20%)and 12(80%)of these meta-analyses had low and critically low confidence,respectively.A total of 61 unique associations between the use of RYR preparations and adverse health outcomes were extracted from eligible metaanalyses.Based on the random-effect models,10(16.4%)associations indicated a significant protective effect of RYR preparations against adverse health outcomes,while 5(8.2%)indicated an increased risk of adverse health outcomes related to uric acid,alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase levels.The other 46(75.4%)associations showed no significant difference between the use of RYR preparations and control treatments.Regarding the credibility of the evidence,21(34.4%),34(55.7%)and 6(9.8%)associations showed moderate,low and very low credibility,respectively.Conclusion:The evidence examined in this study suggests that RYR preparations are safe;however,the credibility of the evidence was not high.Further high-quality evidence is required.

Marine red yeast supplementation improves laying performance by regulating small intestinal homeostasis in aging chickens

Recent studies have shown that age-related aging evolution is accompanied by imbalances in intestinal homeostasis.Marine red yeast(MRY)is a functional probiotic that has been shown to have antioxidant,immune and other properties.Therefore,we chose 900 healthy Hy-Line Brown hens at 433 d old as the research subjects and evaluated the correlation between intestinal health,laying performance,and egg quality in aged hens through the supplementation of MRY.These laying hens were assigned into 5 groups and received diet supplementation with 0%,0.5%,1.0%,1.5%,and 2%MRY for 12 weeks.The results showed that MRY supplementation increased egg production rate,average egg weight,and egg quality,and decreased feed conversion ratio and daily feed intake(P<0.05).The MRY supplement improved antioxidant indicators such as superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),stimulated villus height,and increased the villus height to crypt depth ratio(V/C ratio)in the intestine(P<0.05).It also regulated the expression of intestinal inflammatory factors(transforming growth factor-β[TGF-β],interleukin[IL]-1β,IL-8,tumor necrosis factor-α[TNF-α])while increasing serum immunoglobulin G(IgG)levels(P<0.05).Furthermore,MRY supplementation upregulated the mRNA expression of tight junction proteins(occludin and zonula occludens-1[ZO-1]),anti-apoptotic gene(Bcl-2),and autophagy-related proteins(beclin-1 and light chain 3I[LC3I])in the intestine(P<0.05).The MRY supplement also led to an increase in the concentration of short-chain fatty acids in the cecum,and the relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes,and genera Bacteroides and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group.The LEfSe analysis revealed an enrichment of Sutterella and Akkermansia muciniphila.In conclusion,the results of this experiment indicated that the additional supplementation of MRY can improve the production performance of laying hens and may contribute to the restoration and balance of intestinal homeostasis,which supports the application potential of MRY as a green and efficient feed additive for improving the laying performance in chickens.

Red Yeast Rice Prevents Atherosclerosis through Regulating Inflammatory Signaling Pathways

Objective： To observe the effects of red yeast rice（RYR） on blood lipid levels, aortic atherosclerosis（AS）, and plaque stability in apolipoprotein E gene knockout（Apo E-/-） mice. Methods： Twentyfour Apo E-/-mice were fed with a high-fat diet starting from 6 weeks of age. Mice were randomized into three groups（n = 8 in each group）： model group（Apo E-/-group）, RYR group（Apo E-/-＋ RYR group）, and simvastatin group（Apo E-/-＋ simvastatin group）. Eight 6-week-old C57BL/6 mice were assigned as the control group and fed with a basic diet. After 36 weeks, plasma lipids and inflammatory factors were measured. Aortic atherosclerotic lesions by microscope, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope were observed. Plasma levels of interleukin-6（IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） were measured with enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. The level of high sensitivity C-reaction protein（Hs-CRP） was detected by the scattering immunoturbidimetric assay. Protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9（MMP-9） and nuclear factor κB（NF-κB） in aorta were tested by immunohistochemistry. Results： Compared with the model group, treatment with RYR significantly decreased the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein（a）, and apolipoprotein B100 in Apo E-/-mice（P〈0.01）. Compared with the model group, treatment with RYR decreased the levels of Hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α（P〈0.01）. RYR also reduced the protein levels of NF-κB and MMP-9 of the aorta. Conclusions： RYR has the anti-atherosclerotic and stabilizing unstable plaque effects. The mechanism might be related to the inflammatory signaling pathways.

No Additional Cholesterol-Lowering Effect Observed in the Combined Treatment of Red Yeast Rice and Lactobacillus Casei in Hyperlipidemic Patients：A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Objective：To observe the effect of combining red yeast rice and Lactobacillus casei（L.casei）in lowering cholesterol in patients with primary hyperlipidemia,the later has also been shown to remove cholesterol in in vitro studies.Methods：A double-blind clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the cholesterol-lowering effect of the combination of red yeast rice and L.casei.Sixty patients with primary hyperlipidemia were recruited and randomized equal y to either the treatment group（red yeast rice＋L.casei）or the control group（red yeast rice＋placebo）.One red yeast rice capsule and two L.casei capsules were taken twice a day.The treatment lasted for 8 weeks,with an extended follow-up period of 4 weeks.The primary endpoint was a difference of serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol（LDL-C）level at week 8.Results：At week 8,the LDL-C serum level in both groups was lower than that at baseline,with a decrease of 33.85±26.66 mg/dL in the treatment group and 38.11±30.90 mg/dL in the control group;however,there was no statistical difference between the two groups（P〉0.05）.The total cholesterol was also lower than the baseline in both groups,yet without a statistical difference between the two groups.The only statistical y significant difference between the two groups was the average diastolic pressure at week 12,which dropped by 2.67 mm Hg in the treatment group and increased by 4.43 mm Hg in the placebo group（P〈0.05）.The antihypertensive activity may be associated with L.casei.Red yeast rice can significantly reduce LDL-C,total cholesterol and triglyceride.Conclusion：The combination of red yeast rice and L.casei did not have an additional effect on lipid profiles.

Statin alternatives or just placebo： an objective review of omega-3, red yeast rice and garlic in cardiovascular therapeutics

Objective The aim of this review is to objectively access the trial evidence on the role of omega-3, red yeast rice and garlic in preventing clinical cardiovascular events. Given the large number of clinical trials favoring statin use in cardiovascular disease, it is important to see if evidence is available for these supplements and whether they could replace statin therapy. Data source A PubMed search was conducted using the keywords ＇trial, omega-3, red yeast rice, xuezhikang, garlic, cholesterol, cardiovascular, outcomes＇; the resulting trials were reviewed together with the references quoted in the papers obtained. Study selection The studies selected are prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled studies with predefined clinical cardiovascular end-points recruiting at least 2000 patients, with a follow-up over 2 years. Results Modest dose omega-3 fatty acid has been shown in GISSI-P （11 324 patients, follow-up 3.5 years） to produce a reduction in sudden death of 45%, and in cardiac death of 35%, acting probably via an anti-arrhythmic effect. In JELLS （18 645 patients, follow-up 4.6 years）, high dose omega-3 given to Japanese patients on a high fish diet and already on statin treatment produced further benefit with a 19% reduction of nonfatal cardiovascular outcomes; fatal cardiac events are not affected. CCSPS （4870 patients, follow-up 4 years）, a secondary prevention trial using xuezhikang, a commercial red yeast rice preparation, produced a 46% reduction in nonfatal myocardial infarction and coronary death. There has been no trial to show that garlic reduces clinical cardiovascular outcomes. A rigorous trial with constant assessment of chemicals in the study material in 192 patients found that over a 6-month follow-up, raw garlic and 2 commercial preparations do not significantly affect lipid levels. Conclusions Omega-3 in modest doses reduces cardiac deaths, and in high doses reduces nonfatal cardiovascular events. Red yeast rice reduces adverse cardiac events to a similar degree as the statins. It is unlikely that garlic is useful in preventing cardiovascular disease.

Effectiveness and safety of red yeast rice predominated by monacolin Kβ-hydroxy acid form for hyperlipidemia treatment and management

OBJECTIVE:To assess the lipid-lowering activity and safety of a dietary supplement containing monacolin Kβ-hydroxy acid form(MKA),Heye(Folium Nelumbinis),and Cangzhu(Rhizoma Atractylodis Lanceae),compared to lifestyle modifications.METHODS:Totally 117 subjects with moderate to severe dyslipidemia(according to Chinese guidelines)and low CV risk were randomly assigned into three treatment groups:lifestyle modification(LM),LM plus a low dosage of MKA,LM plus a high dosage of MKA,and treated for 60 d.The primary endpoint was the reduction of low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)and total cholesterol(TC).Safeties along with Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes were assessed through the study.RESULTS:A low dosage of MKA along with lifestyle modifications caused a significant decrease in LDL-C by 15.6%on average(95%CI,9.6%to 21%)with,a decrease in TC by 15.3%on average(95%CI,9.26%to 21.4%),and a decrease in non-HDL-C by 35.4%(95%CI,25.76%to 41.34%).Weak evidence of a reduction of triglycerides but an increment of HDL-C was observed in patients with severe hyperlipidemia.No severe adverse events occurred during the study.CONCLUSION:Our results confirm the LDL-C and TC lowering properties of MKA is clinically meaningful.It also produces a significant reduction of non-HDL-C,and slightly effects on TG and HDL-C as well.

The current trend and challenges of developing red yeast rice-based food supplements for hypercholesterolemia

Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases,which have been managed using statin drugs.Red yeast rice(RYR)as a traditional food in the Eastern Asia countries has anti-hyperlipidemia activity.Recently,a variety of food supplement products containing RYR have been developed to lower blood cholesterol,which is attributed to the presence of monacolins,especially monacolin K(lovastatin,a statin drug).This review was aimed to summarize the clinical trials using RYR products to investigate their effects on lipid profiles in humans.Relevant articles of human clinical trials were retrieved from PubMed and discussed here.Results showed that RYR and its extracts have been included in commercially available products alone and in combinations with various other materials,which include bioactive compounds such as coenzyme Q10 and berberine,vitamins,extracts from other plants such as phytosterols,polyunsaturated fatty acids or even probiotics.The durations of the trials ranged from 4 weeks to 60 months.The content of monacolin K ranged from 0.32 mg/pack to 10 mg/pack.The data of these human clinical trials demonstrated that these RYR supplement products were sufficient to reduce blood cholesterol in different populations.However,the inclusions of certain materials might not have additive effect.Additionally,studies including a lovastatin only positive control group with the equivalent dose as that of monacolin K in the RYR products remain to be done.Furthermore,variations of monacolin K contents and presence of toxic citrinin are still concerns.Last,bioactivities of other components in RYR should be investigated as well.More future studies will certainly help to fully explore the potentials of this traditional food in the combat against cardiovascular and other metabolic diseases.

Potential protective effects of red yeast rice in endothelial function against atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD) is the deadliest disease in the world, with endothelial injury occurring throughout the course of the disease. Therefore, improvement in endothelial function is of essential importance in the prevention of ASCVD. Red yeast rice(RYR), a healthy traditional Chinese food, has a lipid modulation function and also plays a vital role in the improvement of endothelial reactivity and cardiovascular protection; thus, it is significant in the prevention and treatment of ASCVD. This article reviews the molecular mechanisms of RYR and its related products in the improvement of endothelial function in terms of endothelial reactivity, anti-apoptosis of endothelial progenitor cells, oxidative stress alleviation and anti-inflammation.

Six new monacolin analogs from red yeast rice

Six novel monacolin analogs, monacolins V_1–V_6(1–6), together with seven known ones(7–13), were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of red yeast rice. Their structures and absolute configurations were determined by spectroscopic methods,especially 2D NMR(~1H-~1HCOSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY/ROESY) and CD spectroscopic analyses as well as chemical derivation.Monacolins V_2(2) and V_3(3) represent the first examples of monacolins with 3-hydroxybutyrate substitute. The anti-inflammatory inhibitory activities against the lipopolysaccharide(LPS) induced NO production in BV-2 cells as well as antioxidant activities against rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation were evaluated.

Enhanced Carotenoid Production by a Mutant of the Marine Yeast Rhodotorula sp. hidai

After a serial of UV, EMS and NTG mutagenesis, a mutant named MM of the red marine yeast strain Rhodotorula sp. hidai was obtained. The mutant MM could produce 603.93 μg g-1 of carotenoid within 5 days in the medium containing 4.0 g sucrose, 1.5 g yeast extract, 0.1 g MgSO4, and 100 mL of sea water, with pH 6.0 and at 30 ℃, while only 213.18 μg g-1 of carotenoid was pro-duced by the wild type under the same conditions.

Physico-Chemical and Microbiological Profile of Wine Lees of Red Wines from Local Grapes Varieties

In the Republic of Moldova, the viticulture industry is a sector with a high economic impact, and the utilization of secondary products from winemaking represents a growing concern regarding environmental sustainability. Wine lees, one of the types of wine waste, is less studied in order to valorize it. Currently it is used in the production of ethyl alcohol, as aggregates in the soil and others. The aim of this study was to characterize from a physico-chemical and microbiological point of view the lees sediments obtained after the primary fermentation of three types of individualized red wines made from autochthonous grapes varieties. It was found that residual yeasts represent a valuable raw material containing carbohydrates (from 14.35% ± 0.19% to 25.11% ± 1.51% SU), lipids (from 4.61% ± 0.21% to 9.41% ± 2.04% SU), proteins (from 42.62% ± 1.57% to 77.62% ± 9.14% SU), anthocyanins (from 9.18 ± 0.15 to 22.78 ± 1.60 mg cianid) and beta-glucans (from 12.84% ± 0.01% to 17.42% ± 0.02%). The pH value of wine lees ranges from 3.49 ± 0.0 to 3.083 ± 0.01, the dry matter from 9.62% ± 0.22% to 25.06% ± 0.42% and the ash from 0.03% ± 0.42% to 0.035% ± 0.21%. The microbiological study confirmed the presence of live yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which remain active due to the presence of residual sugars and oxygen. The results of the research are promising and encourage the obtaining of new products with special purpose and added value.

Preparation of Red Component in Secondary Metabolites of Recombinant Hansenula anomala N6076 and Its GC-MS Detection

[ Objective] This study aimed to investigate the preparation of red component in secondary metabolites of recombinant Hansenula anomala strain N6076 and its GC-MS detection. [ Method] Thin-layer chromatography method was applied for large-scale preparation of red component in the secondary metabolites of re- combinant H. anomala strain N6076. The red component was dissolved in anhydrous ethanol for GC-MS detection and chemical structure comparison in the data- base to identify its type. [ Resultl The red component is preliminarily identified as a quinane compound, while no compound with exactly the same structure as the red component has been found in WILEY, Nist and Nbs compound libraries. [ Conclusion] This study laid the foundation for further NMR structure identification of the obtained red component and investigation of the relationship between its structure and biolo#cal effects.

红曲米对产蛋后期仙居鸡产蛋性能、蛋品质及血脂水平的影响

试验旨在研究红曲米对产蛋后期仙居鸡生产性能、蛋品质及血清脂类生化指标的影响。试验选取52周龄仙居蛋鸡270只,随机分为3组,每组3个重复,每个重复30只鸡。对照组饲喂玉米-豆粕型基础日粮,试验组分别在饲粮中添加6%、12%红曲米替代玉米和麦麸(6%红曲组、12%红曲组)。结果显示:与对照组相比,6%和12%红曲组料蛋比显著降低(P<0.05);6%和12%红曲组全蛋胆固醇含量显著降低(P<0.05);饲喂含6%、12%红曲米的日粮6周后,血清总胆固醇含量显著降低(P<0.05),高密度脂蛋白(HDL-C)显著提高(P<0.01)。综上所述,饲粮中添加6%~12%红曲米能够显著降低产蛋后期仙居鸡料蛋比,降低血清和全蛋中总胆固醇含量,提高高密度脂蛋白,在提高产蛋性能、生产低胆固醇鸡蛋中具有良好的应用价值。

不同酵母菌对酿造‘北冰红’干红葡萄酒品质影响研究

为探究不同酵母菌对酿造‘北冰红’干红葡萄酒品质影响,分别选用7种酵母菌CEC01、BV818、ViC、ADT、RV171、MST和‘左山二’酵母菌株发酵制备北冰红干红葡萄酒,并对7种干酒中总糖、总酸、花色苷和挥发性香气物质含量进行测试分析,以此判定不同酵母菌种对‘北冰红’干酒品质影响。结果表明:‘左山二’酵母菌株酿造干酒总糖最低,其次是ADT、RV171和MST;安琪酵母CEC01酿造干酒总酸最低,其次是‘左山二’酵母菌株、安琪酵母RV171、VIC;安琪酵母VIC酿造干酒花色苷含量最高,其次是RV171、BV818和MST;通过GC-IMS法在7种干酒中均检测到54种挥发性香气成分,香气成分含量差异较大。安琪酵母ADT酿造干酒酯类最高,甲醇、乙酸最低,RV171酿造干酒乙醇最高,酯类含量略低于ADT酿造的干酒。综合数据分析:以‘左山二’酵母菌株酿造的‘北冰红’干酒酒质最佳,其次为安琪酵母RV171> CEC01> ADT> BV818> MST,依此作为‘北冰红’干酒酿造优势菌株选择的依据。

红曲及相关食品的应用情况及其标准体系研究进展

红曲是一种由红曲霉发酵而成的天然产物,兼具食品和中药双重特性,广泛应用于保健食品、酿酒、腐乳制作、食品着色、调味剂添加等多个领域及中医药。然而,红曲发酵过程中产生的次级代谢产物可能会对肾脏、肝脏等造成损害。因此,即使是天然成分,也需要严格的质量控制和科学的风险评估,以确保其安全性。本文从红曲的实际应用出发,梳理分析红曲在食品和保健食品中的应用情况。同时对我国当前红曲及相关食品标准进行了总结,揭示了存在的问题,如洛伐他汀含量限定不明确、缺乏对桔青霉素和黄曲霉毒素的限量要求,以及发酵菌种选择、原料质量控制和发酵过程管理等方面的不足,为红曲及相关食品标准体系的建设及安全提供参考和建议。

阿瓦提红葡萄中酵母菌的分离鉴定及应用

酵母菌在传统慕萨莱思发酵过程中起着非常重要的作用,为提高传统慕萨莱思工业化生产的质量,采用传统分离方法从阿瓦提红葡萄果实中分离筛选酵母菌,利用形态学观察和分子生物学技术对菌种进行鉴定,并对其耐受性进行分析,同时将性能优良的酵母菌应用于慕萨莱思发酵。结果表明,酵母菌J为酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae),其余5株为丝孢毕赤酵母属(Hyphopichia)。菌株J、J1、J2的酒精耐受能力和耐酸能力较强,菌株J的耐糖性能优于J1和J2,可耐受500 g/L葡萄糖浓度。3株酵母菌发酵慕萨莱思试验结果表明,菌株J发酵慕萨莱思速度较快,酿出的慕萨莱思甘甜醇厚、酸甜协调、果香和焦香较浓郁,感官评分为(85.10±3.64)分。综上,分离出的酿酒酵母J具有良好的发酵慕萨莱思潜力,可作为扩大生产菌株,为提高慕萨莱思质量及品质奠定基础。

混菌发酵对红心猕猴桃果酒品质及其抗氧化性的影响

该研究以红心猕猴桃为原料,以酵母菌AU、MA、BV、FR为发酵菌株,分别接种两种酵母菌(BV-FR、BV-MA、BV-AU、FR-MA、FR-AU、MA-AU)(1∶1)混合发酵得到红心猕猴桃果酒,对果酒酒精度、颜色参数、滋味、气味指标及抗氧化活性进行检测,并基于品质指标进行主成分分析(PCA)及聚类分析(CA)。结果表明,BV-AU发酵果酒酒精度(13.9%vol)、a*值、鲜味的回味响应值、芳香类物质含量最高,缺陷性气味含量最低;其DPPH自由基清除率为94.18%,具有较好的抗氧化活性。PCA及CA结果表明,基于品质指标可有效区分不同混合酵母菌发酵酒样。综上,BV-AU可优先作为发酵红心猕猴桃果酒的混合菌种。

红曲复合营养米制备工艺及其食味品质研究

利用双螺杆挤压技术制备红曲复合营养米。以莫纳克林K含量和感官得分为指标,通过单因素与正交试验优化制备工艺参数,利用电子舌和电子鼻对产品食味品质进行评价。结果表明:当挤压四区温度为90℃、螺杆转速为120 r/min、喂料速度为8 kg/h时,得到的红曲复合营养米的感官得分及莫纳克林K含量最高。随着功能性红曲米粉添加量的增加,红曲复合营养米的食味品质有明显区别。以籼米粉质量为基准,当功能性红曲米粉添加量为2.0%时,红曲复合营养米在鲜味和咸味上指数适中,且苦味、涩味指数较低,能够赋予产品更佳的食味品质。