Hypolipidemic and antioxidant activity of aqueous extract of Monascus purpureus fermented Indian rice in high cholesterol diet fed rats

Aim: To evaluate hypolipidemic and anti-oxidant activities of Monascus purpureus fermented Indian variety of rice. Materials and methods: Indian rice variety IR-532-E-576 was fermented with Monascus purpureus MTCC 1090(Monascaceae) and extracted with water by boiling. Experimentally induced hyperlipidemia was produced by feeding rats with 2% cholesterol enriched diet for 15 days. After wards hypercholesterolemic rats were orally administered with Monascus fermented Indian rice extract at the dose of 1.2 and 2.4 mg/kg bw along with high cholesterol diet for 30 successive days in order to evaluate their expected hypolipidemic activity. Plasma lipid parameters such as total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL (low density lipoprotein), VLDL (very low density lipoprotein), HDL (high densitylipoprotein), atherogenic index, and oxidative stress markers such as lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, and superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities were measured in the plasma and liver respectively. Results: The administration of Monascus fermented Indian rice extract retained lipid profiles and oxidative stress markers to about normal level and also produced a significant decrease in atherogenic index to about 98.07% and 99.53% for 1.2and 2.4 mg/kg bw Monascus fermented Indian rice extract. It also showed better in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activitywith IC50 of 250 ± 0.2 µg/ mL and 245 ± 0.12 µg/mL by DPPH (diphenylpicrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity andmetal chelating activity respectively. Conclusion: The consumption of Monascus fermented Indian rice may act as a potent anti-hypercholesterolemic nutrientand powerful antioxidant.