Chinese Red Yeast Rice (Monascus Purpureus-Fermented Rice) Promotes Bone Formation

 


Chinese Red Yeast Rice (Monascus Purpureus-Fermented Rice) Promotes Bone Formation

 Authors: Ricky WK Wong and Bakr Rabie

* Address of the authors: Biomedical and Tissue Engineering Research Group, University of Hong Kong, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong SAR, China


Abstract

Background

Statin can induce the gene expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2. Red yeast rice (RYR, Hongqu), i.e. rice fermented with Monascus purpureus, contains a natural form of statin. This study demonstrates the effects of RYR extract on bone formation.

Methods

Bone defects were created in the parietal bones of two New Zealand white rabbits. In the test animal, two defects were grafted with collagen matrix mixed with RYR extract. In the control animal, two defects were grafted with collagen matrix alone. UMR 106 cell line was used to test RYR extract in vitro. In the control group, cells were cultured for three durations (24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours) without any intervention. In the RYR group, cells were cultured for the same durations with various concentrations of RYR extract (0.001 g/ml, 0.005 g/ml and 0.01 g/ml). Bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay were performed to measure total protein, mitochondrial activity and bone cell formation respectively.

Results

The test animal showed more formation of new bone in the defects than the control animal. RYR significantly increased the optical density in the MTT assay and ALP activity in vitro.

Conclusion

RYR extract stimulated new bone formation in bone defects in vivo and increased bone cell formation in vitro.

 

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* Articles Originally Published in CHINESE MEDICINE 2008, 3:4 

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