Anti-tumor-initiating effects of monascin, an azaphilonoid pigment from the extract of Monascus pilosus fermented rice (red-mold rice).

Abstract

Monascin (1) constitutes one of the azaphilonoid pigments in the extracts of Monascus pilosus-fermented rice (red-mold rice). Compound 1 was evaluated for its anti-tumor-initiating activity via oral administration on the two-stage carcinogenesis of mouse skin tumor induced by peroxynitrite (ONOO-; PN) or by ultraviolet light B (UVB) as an initiator and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) as a promoter. Compound 1 exhibited marked inhibitory activity on both PN- and UVB-induced mouse skin carcinogenesis tests. These findings suggest that compound 1 may be valuable as potential cancer chemopreventive agent in chemical and environmental carcinogenesis.

• Authors: Toshihiro Akihisa, Harukuni Tokuda, Motohiko Ukiya, Ayaka Kiyota, Ken Yasukawa, Naoyuki Sakamoto, Yumiko Kimura, Takashi Suzuki, Junko Takayasu, Hoyoku Nishino
• Journal: Chemistry & biodiversity (Chem Biodivers) Vol. 2 Issue 10 Pg. 1305-9 (Oct 2005) ISSN: 1612-1880 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 17191930 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring
• Plant Extracts
• monascin

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (chemistry, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Female
• Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring (chemistry, metabolism, pharmacology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred SENCAR
• Molecular Structure
• Monascus (metabolism)
• Oryza (metabolism, microbiology)
• Plant Extracts (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Skin Neoplasms (chemically induced, pathology)
• Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
• Time Factors