Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology of Highland Barley Monascus purpureus Went: A Comprehensive Review.

BACKGROUND: Highland barley Monascus purpureus Went, a traditional Tibetan medicine with food functions, which is fermented by Monascus purpureus with highland barley as substrate. It possesses various medical functions of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, invigorating spleen and promoting digestion in folk of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. This review provides a comprehensive overview of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of highland barley Monascus purpureus Went. METHODS: The references of highland barley Monascus purpureus Went were retrieved from the online database, such as Web of Science, Google Scholar, SciFinder, PubMed, SpringLink, Elsevier, Willy, CNKI, and so on. RESULTS: Phytochemical research revealed that highland barley Monascus purpureus Went contained multiple chemical components, including Monascus pigments, monacolins, lactones, and other compounds. The reported pharmacological activities of highland barley Monascus purpureus Went included hypolipidemic, anti-nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and hepatoprotective activities. CONCLUSION: In a word, botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of highland barley Monascus purpureus Went were reviewed comprehensively in this paper. In the future, highland barley Monascus purpureus Went needs further study, such as paying more attention to quality control and utilization of medicine. Therefore, this review may provide a theoretical basis and valuable data for future studies and exploitations on highland barley Monascus purpureus Went.

Highland barley Monascus purpureus Went extract ameliorates high-fat, high-fructose, high-cholesterol diet induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by regulating lipid metabolism in golden hamsters.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Hepatocyte lipid accumulation is the main feature in the early stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Highland barley Monascus purpureus Went (HBMPW), a fermentation product of Hordeum vulgare Linn. var. nudum Hook. f. has traditionally been used as fermented foods in Tibet with the effect of reducing blood lipid in folk medicine. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study investigated the protective effects and molecular mechanism of highland barley Monascus purpureus Went extract (HBMPWE) on NAFLD in syrian golden hamster fed with high-fat, high-fructose, high-cholesterol diet (HFFCD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: HFFCD-induced NAFLD golden hamster model was established and treated with HBMPWE. Liver index, biochemical index, and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining were observed. Liver metabolomics and western blot analysis were employed. RESULTS: Our study found that HBMPWE ameliorated HFFCD induced dyslipidemia, weight gain and elevated the liver index. In addition, HBMPWE treatment significantly attenuated lipid accumulation in the liver and modulated lipid metabolism (sphingolipid, glycerophospholipid). Our data demonstrated that HBMPWE not only regulated the expression of proteins related to fatty acid synthesis and decomposition (SREBP-1/ACC/FAS/AceS1, PPARα/ACSL/CPT1/ACOX1), but also regulated the expression of proteins related to cholesterol synthesis and clearance (HMGCR, LDLR, CYP7A1). CONCLUSIONS: HBMPWE improved NAFLD through multiple pathways and multiple targets in body metabolism and could be used as a functional food to treat NAFLD and other lipid metabolic disorders.

Dataset for liver metabolomic profile of highland barley Monascus purpureus went extract-treated golden hamsters with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a serious problem endangering human health in the world. The pathogenesis of this disease is often accompanied by lipid metabolism disorder and can cause liver lipid accumulation. Highland barley Monascus purpureus Went extract (HBMPWE) can inhibit the liver lipid accumulation caused by a high-fat, high-fructose, high-cholesterol diet. However, it is not clear what changes have taken place in the process of liver lipid metabolism after HBMPWE administration. To fill this knowledge gap and to support the findings published in the companion research article entitled "Highland Barley Monascus purpureus Went Extract Ameliorates High-Fat, High-Fructose, High-Cholesterol Diet Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Regulating Lipid Metabolism in Golden Hamsters" [1], we provided important information related to the liver differential metabolites and identified twenty-one differential metabolites of liver metabolism. In the model group, the levels of lactate, linoleic acid, and malic acid increased significantly. After HBMPWE treatment, the expressions of these metabolites reduced significantly. Therefore, these liver differential metabolites could be used as biological signatures reflecting the severity of NAFLD and HBMPWE treatment outcomes.