红曲在我国古代也称"丹曲",传统的红曲是指以大米为原料,接种红曲菌经固态发酵而成的红曲米。红曲在中医上具有健脾化食、燥湿化痰、活血化瘀等功效;工业上常用于制作红曲米酒和腌渍肉、鱼等。红曲菌能产生多种次级代谢产物,例如红曲色素、莫纳可林K(MonacolinK,MK)、γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)、抗氧化物质、降血压物质等,其中部分代谢产物具有降血压、降血脂、抗菌、抗氧化和抗癌等重要的生理活性。本文介绍了近年来红曲菌几种主要次级代谢产物及其生物活性的研究进展。

Red yeast rice is produced by growing Monascus sp.on rice to produce a red-colored product.Although for years it has been known that there are six pigments and other secondary metabolic products from Monascus sp.,such as monacolin K,γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA),ect.,and substances with a wide range of biological and therapeutic benefits,including anticarcinogenic,antioxidative,and hypolipidemic activities,which have been described.In this paper,current status and progress of researches on several major metabolic products from Monascus sp.were introduced.