Toxicity and Antifungal Activity of Monascus Purpureus Red Yeast Rice on Caernorhabidits Elegans

Nalini, S. (2010) Toxicity and Antifungal Activity of Monascus Purpureus Red Yeast Rice on Caernorhabidits Elegans. [Student Project Report]

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Abstract

This Dissertation / Report is the outcome of investigation carried out by the creator(s) / author(s) at the department/division of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore mentioned below in this page.

Item Type:	Student Project Report
Additional Information:	Caenorhabditis elegans has a number of features that make it not just relevant but quite powerful a model for biological research. The major advantage that C. elegans poses is easy to maintain in laboratory conditions with a diet of Escherichia coli and inexpensive. The short, hermaphroditic life cycle (~3 days) and its ability to generate large number (300+) of offspring a short period of time makes it an attractive model for drug discovery (Hope., 1999). Since C. elegans has a small body size, in-vivo assays can be conducted in a 96-well microplate or 24-well tissue culture plate and its transparent cuticle allows clear observation of all cells in matured and developing animals. Red Yeast Rice (RYR), which is a functional food obtained from fermenting rice with Monascus purpureus is consumed in many Asian countries. Though its biological properties and pharmaceutical principles are well established, its mode of action and its toxicity is still unclear. For the first time in the study, C. elegans is used as a model system to evaluate the toxicity and antifungal activity of RYR. In toxicity assay, no lethality was observed in any samples except 100 μM HgCl2 at 12 h exposure. However the normal sinusoidal movement of worms were affected. Percentage of sinusoidal movement decreased with the increase in concentration of RYR. β-Galactosidase are reporter assay for stress response was not expressed in 2000 and 4000 μg / ml of RYR treated worms whereas moderate expression was observed at 6000 μg / ml of RYR treated worms suggesting a probable stress. However, the strong expression of β-galactosidase observed with positive control (50 μM HgCl2) and even with negative control (1.8 % DMSO) was not demonstrated in the treated worms, as well, the alleviation of DMSO toxicity by RYR. In antifungal assays, no worms survived in any of the treatment except uninfected showed a probable protective role for RYR against cellular toxicity after 5 days of incubation. This may be due to the heavy fungal infection load or toxic effect of RYR as it is exposed 5 days. Hence, further research is needed to establish the antifungal activity by minimizing the initial fungal load. Preliminary standardization of the toxic effects of RYR on C. elegans during long term exposure is advised.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Caenorhabditis elegans; Red Yeast Rice; functional food; toxicity effect;
Subjects:	600 Technology > 05 Chemical engineering > 04 Fermentation Technology 500 Natural Sciences and Mathematics > 07 Life Sciences > 04 Microbiology > 04 Fungi 600 Technology > 01 Medical sciences > 17 Toxicology
Divisions:	Food Microbiology
Depositing User:	Food Sci. & Technol. Information Services
Date Deposited:	05 Jul 2010 04:12
Last Modified:	28 Dec 2011 10:14
URI:	http://ir.cftri.res.in/id/eprint/9455

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