Isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds produced from Monascus purpureus.

The genus Monascus belongs to the class Ascomyecetes and the family Monascaceae was classified and named by French scientist Van Tieghem. In 1895, Went did a careful study on the Monascus purpureus, a species discovered from the samples collected by Dutch scientists in Java, where it was used largely for colouring rice. Monascus-Fermented Rice (MFR) which is a commonly used food colorant and dietary material in Asian countries and is also used in the production of statins, fatty acids, sterols, pigments, and antibacterial and antioxidant principles.