Planta Med 2015; 81 - PC25
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1545212

Monacolins derivatives from red yeast rice and their cytotoxic activities

Z Zhang 1, Z Ali 1, SI Khan 1, IA Khan 1, 2
  • 1National Center for Natural Products Research
  • 2Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, MS 38677

Red yeast rice, which is also known as koji, anka, angkakand ben-koji, is produced from the fermentation of steamed rice using the fungus Monascuspurpureus. It has been utilized for coloring food and wine and preserving meat for hundreds of years. It has also been used as a folk medicine for improving food digestion and blood circulation for centuries. Four new monacolins (1 – 4) were isolated from the methanol extract of red yeast rice. Their structures were elucidated by means of NMR and mass spectroscopic analyses. The isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against SK-MEL, KB, BT-549, SK-OV-3, LLC-PK1 and Vero cell lines.

Fig. 1